Letter to the Editor: Retain Bukit Kiara as a Green Lung

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
RETAIN BUKIT KIARA AS A GREEN LUNG

While concerned citizens and civil society groups are heartened by the large turnout at the "Save Bukit Kiara" walk to show solidarity in the matter of the construction work taking place within Bukit Kiara (The Star, July 15), we are disconcerted by the Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Chor Chee Heung's somewhat contradictory explanation that the construction and clearing work was for the purpose of protecting the park from illegal encroachment and to develop the park as a big-scale public park.

It must be pointed out that the construction of the 3.5m-high security fence by the National Landscape Department entailed the felling and destruction of thousands of mature indigenous forest trees. Further, the fence restricts the movement of wildlife. The construction of a road in order to put up a fence to protect the park from "illegal encroachment" also has the ironic effect of opening up access to the forest to vandals, poachers and those with ill-intentions, as can be seen from the increase of litter ever since the commencement of the construction work.

Nature lovers and residents of the areas surrounding Bukit Kiara have already indicated their strong preference for keeping Bukit Kiara pristine, instead of fashioned into a giant playground planted over with non-indigenous flora. The flora of Bukit Kiara is part of our natural heritage that no amount of secondary replanting and landscaping by even the most well-meaning of developers and landscape architects can replace.

Green lungs such as Bukit Kiara provide valuable ecological services, such as maintaining freshwater quality, hydrological integrity, flood mitigation and carbon storage and sequestration. They provide the community with aesthetic pleasure as well as opportunities for contact with the natural environment.

The loss of green sanctuaries such as Bukit Kiara to superfluous development projects is an erosion of our right to a healthy environment that the Malaysian public will not countenance. It is imperative that the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Ministry of Housing and Local Government and National Landscape Department halt all construction and land-clearing activities, review any requests from private owners for development projects within the vicinity of this ecologically-sensitive site, and immediately gazette the areas of Bukit Kiara that are under state ownership as a permanent forest reserve.


WONG EE LYNN
Coordinator, Green Living Special Interest Group,
Malaysian Nature Society

Letter to the Editor: Provide Facilities for the Disposal of Electronic Waste

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR THE DISPOSAL OF ELECTRONIC WASTE


Earth Hour was observed on March 31st by people across the country who profess concern for the environment and climate change. However, the fleeting and superficial nature of the event makes it of dubious educational and practical value. Several organisations and corporate entities, however, must be commended for implementing environmentally responsible initiatives that go beyond the hour-long festivities. This includes HSBC's used battery collection programme (Metro, 30th March), scheduled to run until June 5.

The predicament of the public now, however, is where to dispose of used batteries for recycling after this programme ends. It is common knowledge that batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel, which can contaminate the environment when batteries are improperly disposed of. When incinerated, certain metals could be released into the air or can concentrate in the ash produced by the combustion process.

The disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) such as dry cell batteries and light bulbs has been a perennial problem for ordinary citizens trying to find a solution to e-waste management. The Green Living Special Interest Group of the Malaysian Nature Society collects used batteries from the public but faces problems trying to locate a facility willing to accept them for reclamation, recycling, or safe disposal. The only authorised scheduled waste contractor in the country is unwilling to agree to anything other than a one-off collection as a goodwill gesture. Unlicensed "recycling" outfits which claim to "recycle" computers and other electronic waste items more often than not strip and recover only valuable metals from the electronic products and dispose of the rest of the items in the trash, where they invariably end up in landfills. It is ironic that the Ministry of Housing and Local Government claims that Malaysians do not recycle enough, yet when initiatives are made by environmental organisations to collect electronic waste and hazardous household waste for recycling or safe disposal, no corporate or governmental entity is able to offer a solution.

We would strongly urge the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to implement measures to streamline and increase the recycling and safe disposal of electronic waste. These measures would include:

1. Phasing out the use of mercury-containing batteries through legislation;

2. Ensuring uniformity in the collection, storage and transportation of batteries and hazardous waste;

3. Requiring manufacturers to provide facilities for the collection of used batteries and electronic products for recycling, and instituting “producer take-back” measures;

4. Providing facilities to collect electronic waste and hazardous household waste, including batteries, electrical appliances, light bulbs, paint and chemicals, at accessible locations, such as in front of local council buildings and residents' associations’ buildings.

In the meantime, the public would be well-advised to reduce the number of batteries entering the waste stream by not purchasing unnecessary battery-operated products and by purchasing and using rechargable batteries instead of single-use batteries.

Keeping toxic metals and environmental pollutants out of our waste stream and thus our air, soil and water should be a national health and safety concern, and not merely a month-long Earth Hour corporate social responsibility project.





WONG EE LYNN
Coordinator, Green Living Special Interest Group,
Malaysian Nature Society

Letter to the Editor: Making Our Roads Safer For Cyclists

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
MAKING OUR ROADS SAFER FOR CYCLISTS




Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Rafizi Hamdan, the cyclist who was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident on 18.3.2012.



As a cycling enthusiast and advocate, I am saddened by the news, and I seriously question the basic sufficiency of measures that ensure the safety of cyclists in Malaysia. I concur with the views of LaTua Cycling Club President Jafaar Abdul Rahman that cyclists should not have to wait for bike lanes to be constructed all over the country before motorists pay heed to the safety and presence of cyclists who share their roads. I was hit by a car once while cycling on a road shoulder in Petaling Jaya, and the driver averred that she had swung into the road shoulder without warning because she did not expect to see a cyclist there, and believed that all cyclists should restrict their cycling activities to parks and jogging tracks. The apathy of the authorities towards the safety and rights of cyclists has merely enabled and encouraged such arrogance from motorists, and deterred people from cycling to work and other destinations.



Most regular cyclists in Malaysia believe that the onus is on them to avoid getting involved in an accident, and most practice “safe cycling” rules – wear a helmet, use a headlamp and reflectors, wave to signal when you wish to cross the road, stay out of motorists’ blind spots and don’t ride against traffic. However, there does not appear to be a corresponding sense of responsibility from the authorities and motorists towards the safety of cyclists.

Actions and implementations that can save the lives of cyclists and pedestrians would include:

· Making existing road shoulders wider;

- Erecting signs along roads frequently used by cyclists to warn motorists about the presence of cyclists and to remind motorists to keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres from cyclists;

- Taking stern action against motorists who drive on the road shoulders and emergency lanes;

· Providing safety islands at vulnerable pedestrian/cyclist crossing points;

· Making sure that public pavements are kept clear of obstructions for the use of pedestrians and cyclists;

· Helping to create pedestrian and cycle paths routes along public roads, especially those within the vicinity of schools and public transport hubs;

· Erecting sheltered walkways in the vicinity of public transport hubs that are kept illuminated at night to encourage the public to take public transport in lieu of private car use even at night or in poor weather;

· Enhancing signage and pavement markings to indicate pedestrian and cyclist crossings for all road users;

· Greater use of speed and red light cameras at susceptible intersections;

· Improving existing roads to allow for pedestrian and cyclist crossings;

· Enforcing speed restrictions at pedestrian and cyclist crossings;

· Improving intersection design;

· Improving the location of crossings to maximise line-of-sight for oncoming vehicles and other road users;

· Improving signage, pavement markings and lighting at all pedestrian and cyclist crossings;

· Installing auditory pedestrian signal devices and retime pedestrian and cyclist crossing signals; and

- Allowing cyclists to bring their bicycles (particularly folding bicycles) on public transport.



We must aim to create a safe traffic system that does not unduly inconvenience road users. A reliable public transport system combined with better safety conditions for pedestrians and cyclists will go a long way in lessening traffic congestion, slowing down the need to build more roads and highways and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Rising fuel prices, carbon emissions and air and noise pollution are all compelling reasons to introduce and develop ‘green commuting’ plans with the aim of reducing the impact of travel to and activity during work. Cycling, both as a means of transportation and for recreation, has immense health, economic and environmental benefits. The option of cycling on public roads should not be closed to cyclists by virtue of high accident rates and the indifference of the authorities and motorists. The authorities must view Rafizi’s untimely demise as a wake-up call to develop and implement measures to ensure the safety of cyclists.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

How Society Views My Profession Meme

You know the "How Society Views My Profession" internet meme going viral on Facebook in the past few days? Here's one I made with Covert Big Bro's help!

Letter to the Editor: Regulate the Pet Industry

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

REGULATE THE PET INDUSTRY

(Image credits: Animal People Online)

The proposal by local animal welfare groups to regulate the pet industry is a timely and necessary one (“Groups barking up the wrong tree, say pet shop owners”, 12 Dec 2011). Pet store operators understandably have vested interests to protect in objecting to any such initiative on grounds of lack of fairness, as their profit margin from the sale of pet supplies and providing boarding and grooming services would be smaller than from the sale of pets.

At present, the licensing of pet shops falls under the jurisdiction of local councils. There are no adequate guidelines to ensure the health, safety or welfare of the animals or the humans who come into contact with them.

Animals for the pet trade are frequently raised in deplorable conditions, and wildlife is often passed off as legitimately captive-bred animals without any verification procedure or animal or environmental protection criteria being set. The absence of guidelines and regulations in the pet industry often means that customers have no redress if they have purchased inbred, ill, diseased or disabled animals. These animals thus frequently end up being abandoned or euthanised.

A flash flood in downtown Kuala Lumpur several years ago, which saw hundreds of animals drown in their cages at a pet store in Brickfields, as well as a more recent incident involving the abandonment and starvation of over 300 pet cats left at a pet store and boarding facility in Damansara, are testimony to the shortcomings of the current laws governing the pet industry.

Pet store operators argue that better regulation and enforcement of pet stores and breeders would be a better option than an outright ban on the retail sale of pets. However, a ban would have several advantages over mere regulation. Pet breeders would be compelled to comply with health, safety and animal welfare standards in order to register their operations as businesses, and the fact that potential pet owners would now have to deal directly with breeders would enhance transparency and accountability in the pet industry. There would be fewer impulse purchases of companion animals if potential customers were privy to the actual living conditions of breeder animals. A ban would also help reduce stray overpopulation, as there will be fewer opportunities for the indiscriminate breeding and dumping of animals. Potential pet owners would also be more inclined to adopt from animal shelters and rescue groups, which are generally stronger advocates and practitioners of vaccination and neutering than pet stores. This will in turn reduce the public costs of managing stray animal populations.

It must also be taken into cognisance that most existing pet stores, being shophouses and retail outlets within shopping complexes, are unsuitable and unsafe housing facilities for animals, in the event of a fire, natural disaster or disease outbreak. A ban on the retail sale of pets would therefore be in the best interests of animal welfare as well as human health and safety.

It is foreseeable that if such a ban were to be imposed with immediate effect without a grace period for compliance, many animals would end up abandoned or culled by pet breeders and stores. However, if sufficient time were given for compliance, breeding facilities and pet stores would be able to get themselves properly assessed by the authorities for licensing purposes. Animals past breeding age could be neutered and existing animals could be rehomed before the ban takes effect.

Progressive and compassionate communities around the world, including in San Francisco and Toronto, are urging their governments to ban the retail sale of pets. A growing number of cities, including Albuquerque and Irvine in the USA, have successfully implemented such a ban. Animals are not merchandise, but sentient beings that are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In recognition of this fact, the call for a ban on the retail sale of pets and better legislation to regulate the pet industry is one that should be applauded by all right-thinking individuals.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

Letter to the Editor: Put More Thought Into Coordinating "Green" Events

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
PUT MORE THOUGHT INTO COORDINATING "GREEN" EVENTS

I had the pleasure of participating in the Cleaner Marina Day clean up of Klang River on Saturday, Oct 15 ("1,250 volunteers come together to clean Port Klang", Star Metro, Oct 17). While I must commend the organisers of this event for managing to mobilise such a large number of volunteers in a relatively short time, it would be hasty to deem the event a "great success".

The organisers claim that "tons of rubbish" were collected by the volunteers, but tons of rubbish were also generated during the event in the form of styrofoam food packets, plastic packaging, PET drinking water bottles, and "goodie bags" filled with advertising and promotional material. When queried about this by some of the more environmentally-aware volunteers, the organisers claimed that they had no control over the packaging and distribution of food and freebies as the said items were provided by sponsors.

It is averred that the organisers and coordinators must set the direction of an environmental event. An environmental event should instil positive change in vendors, sponsors, participants and attendees, while meeting community expectations. Sponsors and vendors should be advised to minimise waste and costs. Minimising waste improves efficiency at an event and reduces the need for sponsorship. Too much money, time and resources are being channelled towards the collection, storage, removal and transportation of rubbish as it is.

At a cleanup campaign such as the Cleaner Marina Day event, the following measures could have been taken to reduce the use and wastage of resources in the first place:

(i) Eliminate the need for goodie bags and t-shirts. Volunteers can be advised to come in old white-shirts and can be given adhesive paper labels to stick on their shirts to identify them as volunteers.

(ii) Almost all the volunteers came with their own drinking water bottles. As such, water refill stations could have been set up to eliminate the need for individual PET drinking water bottles. A bucket of reusable plastic cups can be provided for those who came without water bottles.

(iii) Food should have been provided on reusable tableware. This isn't a very big challenge as the services of a canteen operator or caterer could have easily and just as inexpensively been engaged to supply food using reusable tableware and cutlery. Dirty tableware and utensils can be deposited into bins to be transported back to the canteen or other facility for washing.

(iv) Vegetarian food should have been made available for vegetarian attendees. Food served at an environmental event should ideally be vegan or vegetarian, in line with the principles of a low-impact lifestyle, environmental responsibility and non-violence.

(v) The waste collected and generated at the event should have been separated for recycling and possible composting. Clear signage placed high will help inform attendees of the availability of recycling and waste separation facilities.

(vi) Certificates of appreciation can be e-mailed in soft copy format to sponsors and volunteers, as many may not require a printed version. Instead of giving out promotional and advertising literature in goodie bags, vendors and sponsors can be encouraged to e-mail printable discount coupons and vouchers to volunteers on the mailing list or social network site instead.

Further, the organisers should have not merely advised participants to take public transport and/or carpool, but also educated the boatmen not to leave their boat engines idling for long periods of time while waiting for the participants.

The success of an environmental event should not be measured by the number of sponsors and volunteers, but by the educational value of the event and the permanent changes it makes in the lives of the volunteers and local community. Attendees must be able to make the logical connection between the packaging they dispose of and the rubbish they fished out from the river. The objective of an environmental organisation should never be to have ever-increasing numbers of volunteers to clean up litter from public places, but to achieve such a high level of public and governmental awareness that one day we may never again have a need for a cleanup campaign.

While we acknowledge that planning a large-scale environmental and volunteer-based event is never an easy undertaking, better planning and coordination is needed to ensure that such events in future do not end up becoming mere greenwashing opportunities or feel-good excursions with little benefit to the environment.


WONG EE LYNN
COORDINATOR
GREEN LIVING SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY




Hooks and nets for collecting rubbish with at the back of a pickup truck.




Breakfast served in styrofoam containers. Great, innit? This event generated as much rubbish as it collected.




This is the kind of rubbish we had to collect on Saturday morning. The other kind of rubbish -- we have to vote them out of Parliament.




Boats coming to pick up the volunteers to transport us to our respective stations and areas.



Posing with bin liners -- it's the "in" thing to do at every cleanup campaign.


Me, Petri, Laila and Shawn in our One-Size-Fits-Nobody lifejackets.






Shawn with his Catch of the Day.



Volunteers returning to shore with the rubbish.



You talkin' trash to me, punk? You talkin' trash to me?



We're a bunch of treehuggin' nutjobs! Talk dirty to us!




Do away with the canopies, goodie (i.e. junk) bags, t-shirts, certificates, PET drinking water bottles and styrofoam clamboxes and you might just actually have a truly green event.

Drafting An Effective Letter To The Editor

GREEN LIVING ADVOCACY: DRAFTING AN EFFECTIVE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

(This blogpost will be published as a 2-3 part series in the Malaysian Nature Society monthly newsletter. All rights reserved by author alone.)


Much as Green Living is about sharing and disseminating information on environmentally responsible choices and putting these choices into daily practice, we must understand that lifestyle changes must go hand-in-hand with political advocacy. It is important to live a lifestyle that is consistent with our environmental values. It is hypocritical, for instance, to call for a ban on the construction of new dams when we fail to manage and reduce our water and energy use. But personal lifestyle changes alone cannot be a substitute for political action. As environmentalists and concerned citizens, we should all strive to keep ourselves informed on environmental issues and to be able to articulate our grievances and ideas in a way that is meaningful.

For many people who have never drafted a letter to the editor, this can seem like a daunting and time-consuming task. But like any other undertaking in life, a bit of planning, a fair amount of research and a good deal of determination is all it takes before you become a regular writer of letters to the editor. Letters to the editor vary greatly in quality. Some are forgotten almost as soon as they are read, some need to be refuted, some are impressive in their pomp and some are worth a second read. If you are a beginner, here are some basic pointers on how to draft a letter to the editor that is more likely to be published and therefore more likely to be read and considered by those with the political and economic leverage to make necessary changes:

1. HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH YOUR INTRODUCTION

If you are quoting a newspaper report, article or someone else’s letter to the editor, try not to start your letter with “I refer to your report, XXXX, dated XXXX” or a similarly predictable and bland opening line. Make a stand from the beginning. Let your reader know, in the same sentence that you are bringing their attention to another article, whether you are for or against the article you cited.

Examples of statements that express agreement include: “I concur with the views of…” and “I commend the XXX State Government for…”. Examples of statements that express disagreement include: “I was disappointed to read that the Federal Government has approved plans to....” and “The National Solid Waste Management Policy falls short of …”

If you are referring to a specific incident, for example, open burning or the felling of trees in your area, then start off your letter with a narration. Use the “5 Ws of Journalism” as a rough guide. In your introduction, address:
- What happened?
- Where did it take place?
- Who is it about/ Who does it affect/ Who witnessed it/ Who was responsible for the incident?
- When did it happen?
- How did it happen?

For example, following a reef clean-up project, you could start a letter thus: “Following a recent coral reef clean-up project off the coast of XXXX conducted by volunteers from the Malaysian Nature Society, we found to our dismay that most of the litter consisted of fishing lines and broken polystyrene foam coolers left behind by the local fishing community.”

2. ADDRESS THE CORRECT PARTY

“The Government should do so-and-so” is a statement that is best restricted to coffeeshop conversations. When you are drafting a Press Statement or a letter to the editor, identify and address the party responsible for rectifying a problem or implementing a solution to an issue.
- Waste management, local community, and recycling issues = Ministry of Housing and Local Government
- Open burning = Dept of Environment
- Marine issues = Dept of Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry.
- Tree felling, green lungs = National Landscape Dept and Ministry of Housing and Local Government
- Pet stores, animal welfare, stray animals = Dept of Veterinary Services
- Wildlife = PERHILITAN and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.
- Fuel, vehicle ownership and public transport = Ministry of Transport

3. GO POINT-BY-POINT

If you are writing in response to a letter, report or article, analyse the article you are referring to. Break it down into specific issues that you wish to refute or express agreement with. Be specific.

Here is an example of a point-by-point response to arguments raised by the Malaysian Plastics Forum:

“The plastics industry also attempts to argue that such a ban would result in unemployment. It is, however, unforeseeable to us that any industry, much less the plastics industry, would be so lacking in resilience and resourcefulness that it could not adapt to changes in consumer patterns and legislation and could not come up with alternative or better products to meet market demands.

Further, the plastics industry feigns concern for the environment by arguing that the solution lies in instituting more measures to recycle plastic bags and polystyrene packaging. This is in defiance of science, economics and common sense, which demonstrate that it costs more to recycle a plastic bag than to manufacture one from raw materials, that even the recycling process generates waste and pollution and consumes fuel, water and energy, and that many types of plastic products cannot be safely or feasibly recycled.”

You must be able to explain why you agree/disagree with a statement, and support it with facts. This is more effective than merely saying “Plastic bags are not good for the environment.” As any lawyer will tell you, a failure to refute / challenge someone’s allegation or claim will be taken as an indication of acquiescence!



4. USE EXAMPLES AND COMPARISONS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

“Leaving your car engine idling while you wait is a waste of fuel” sounds less compelling than “For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about 1.6 km”. Examples, comparisons and illustrations all help to communicate ideas more effectively to your readers, as it will appeal to their imagination and memory. However, be sure to check your facts and references to make sure they are corroborated by official or academic sources.


5. CHECK YOUR REFERENCES

Always cite references whenever possible, e.g. “Relying on the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s and CO2 Balance’s carbon emission calculators, it is determined that a return trip for just one person from Tokyo to KLIA would generate an estimated 2.51 tonnes of carbon dioxide.” Cite specific laws and guidelines, whenever possible. In this age of information technology, there is hardly anything that you could not speedily locate using search engines.

This is especially important if you hold a position of leadership in your organisation and you are writing in the capacity of a representative of your organisation. All information cited should be reliable and relevant.

Just as importantly, check your references. Each statement you cite should be corroborated by more than one source type. For example, a newspaper report should be corroborated by an official statement in a Ministry’s official website. Be careful about citing blogs, Wikipedia or statements and claims made by NGOs of dubious reputation. Check the veracity of their statements. Is it corroborated by any other reliable party? Some sources may not be objective, and be based on personal opinions and prejudices.

Steer clear of “round trip” sources, where secondary sources begin to cite each other (e.g. a Chairman of an NGO cites his own article in their newsletter, and the newsletter quotes him in return) and “mirror corroboration”, where secondary sources all cite one source, creating an illusion of corroboration. You can tell that statements constitute “mirror corroboration” when it is difficult or impossible to verify and does not cite authority. A veteran oil industry executive produced an ad that claims: “There is no scientific evidence that CO2 is a pollutant… higher CO2 levels than we have today would actually help the Earth’s ecosystems”. Your “Mirror Corroboration/Round Trip Corroboration” alarm bells should start ringing by now.


6. USE THE “SANDWICH APPROACH” WHEN APPROPRIATE

When dealing with authorities and parties whose cooperation and assistance you require, it is often helpful to use the “Sandwich Approach” in presenting constructive criticism and feedback. In the sandwich, praise is the bread, and constructive criticism is the filling. The person giving feedback begins by praising strengths, then suggests improvements, and ends with further praise.

An example of how to use the Sandwich Approach in a press statement or letter to the editor:
Bread 1: “Like many citizens, I appreciate the State Government’s concern for the welfare of the people”
Filling: “However, it is submitted that reduced water charges will not help water conservation efforts, and may contribute to a water crisis in the state”. (Provide reasons to back up your statements.)
Bread 2: “I am positive that the State Government would be willing to consider adopting water-saving technologies and practicing better management of our water resources, all of which will help our state reach its developmental goals without sacrificing the environment or the people’s welfare.”


7. TAKE A STAND, BUT BE BALANCED IN YOUR VIEWS

Appreciate that whenever you are expressing your views on one issue, there will always be a percentage of people who hold a different view. Not everyone will be as enthusiastic about cloth shopping bags, taking public transport and using vegetable enzymes as you are. For every tree that you may wish to protect, there may be a fearful houseowner convinced that dead branches will fall through his roof at any time. Try to find a common ground, and then present a balanced and fair argument. Help your opponents address their concerns. Try to reach a compromise and propose solutions whenever possible.


8. PROPOSE AN ALTERNATIVE OR A SOLUTION

An eloquent letter goes nowhere if it ends abruptly without offering alternatives and solutions. Put your research skills to good use by finding alternatives, especially ones tried-and-tested in other jurisdictions. Offering alternatives encourages discussion and communication. Here is an example of how to put forward multiple alternatives in a letter to the editor:
“In order to mitigate the problem of overfishing and at the same time, ensure food security, we must consider alternatives to commercial fishing. These include:
i. Promoting aquaculture and fish farming methods that are sustainable and limit the risk of infection, zoonosis and pollution;
ii. ii. Establishing fishing quotas so fishermen can only legally take a certain amount of fish; and
iii. Declaring certain areas of the sea "no-go zones" and make fishing there strictly illegal, so the fish in that area have time to recover and repopulate.”

9. BE PASSIONATE, NOT EMOTIONAL

Many people mistake being emotional with being passionate. It is best never to write when you are feeling too angry or emotional. A letter that declares: “The poachers should die for this!”, “How could they do this?!?” or “This is crazy!” might be able to get public attention, but is less likely to be taken seriously than one that says: “Legislators must take immediate steps to safeguard our fast-vanishing natural heritage, while PERHILITAN and other bodies entrusted with the regulation of the wildlife trade must be more circumspect in the issuing of permits and be more vigilant in the monitoring of wildlife displays.” Remember that your letter or press statement will reflect on you, your organisation and the cause you champion. Be professional and considerate of other’s views and sensitivities always.


10. NEVER ISSUE THREATS OR ULTIMATUMS

A prolific petition writer has a tendency of making demands and issuing ultimatums in his petitions and press statements. “We demand that the police investigate this matter and bring the culprits to book within 24 hours”, ends one press statement. 24 hours went by, and nothing happened. What can the petition writer do? Threaten to migrate to another country? Threaten to vote in a new government? Terminate the entire police department?

Never write cheques that can’t be cashed. You will end up antagonising the parties that you should be making your allies, and you will end up looking ridiculous.


11. MIND YOUR GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND REFERENCES

Please take the time to proofread your draft, and if possible, get a helpful associate to review it for you. A poorly drafted letter indicates a lack of professionalism. If you don’t take your letter seriously enough to want it to be as free of faults as possible, then chances are, your readers will not take it seriously either.