Bentos Through The Seasons

I haven't been updating my blog with pictures of my bento lunches since February. Here is a collection of 14 of my favourite ones in the past 6 months. 

5.2.2014: First bento for the Lunar Year of the Horse. The pretzel rods spell out the Chinese character for 'horse', while the pineapples and pomelo add a festive touch.

3.3.2014: A star onigiri bento for lunch. 

24.3.2014: Vegan schnitzel salad bento, with green apple slices and 2 mango plums for dessert. 

31.3.2014: A bento to honour a certain club which rose to the top of the league table on 31 March ;) The letters were cut out of Quorn vegetarian bacon, while the Liverpool FC pick was one of the cupcake picks I made for Aravind's birthday. 

14.4.2014: A confused bento.

This started off as an Easter bento, which explains the nests of grapes and cherry tomatoes. Then I thought, heck, I don't have any particular feelings about Easter. What I do care about is football, and LFC, so I changed the theme halfway and made onigiri to commemorate Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Manchester City. 

22.4.2014: Earth Day bento in garish technicolour, with the most frightful onigiri in the history of mankind.

Oh well. Happy Earth Day! 

Remember, it's never too late to learn, take action and make a difference! 

5.5.2014: Not too late for a Star Wars bento. Star Wars Day i.e. May the Fourth was the previous day. 

5.6.2014: Show the trees some love this World Environment Day!

May we all tread gently on the good Earth and be mindful of the impact of our actions, choices and purchases on the environment. 

23.6.2014: A chimpanzee-themed bento, inspired by my encounter with Dr Jane Goodall in early June. 

22.7.2014: Missing Türkiye and seeing too many reminders of that beautiful country this Ramadan, hence a Türkiye-themed bento. 

30.7.2014: July 29 was World Tiger Conservation Day (at least that's what I think it's called) so I made this last-minute bento in observance of this cause. 

12.8.2014: World Elephant Day bento. Complete with ElephANTS on a Log, geddit? 

May we strive to protect elephants and their habitats. 

May we see a worldwide ban on ivory within our lifetime. 

May all captive elephants be granted the freedom and dignity they deserve. 

19.8.2014: So guess who was happy with the great start to the season? Go, Liverpool FC! 

25.8.2014: An early National Day bento. With a Kool-Aid fruit salad that went wrong.

Get Your Green On at the KDCF-MNS Open Day

Just a little over 10 years ago, the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve (the remnant lowland dipterocarp forest is now known as the Kota Damansara Community Forest) was under threat of destruction thanks to corrupt politicians and land developers. 

Thankfully, however, concerned citizens groups, nature lovers, environmental organisations and indigenous communities collaborated effectively and quickly to lobby for the protection of the forest reserve from future threats and to promote its sustainable use. 

The Pakatan Rakyat State Government worked quickly to gazette and protect the forest reserve, as they had promised to do in their election manifesto, following their win in the 2008 General Elections.

This marks the second year that the Kota Damansara Community Forest Society and the Malaysian Nature Society are holding their joint Open Day / Community Day at the Kota Damansara Community Forest. This year, it was held not at the Section 10 forest where the lake is, but at the Taman Rimba Riang Community Forest in Section 9. 

We were supposed to hold this event sometime in June to mark World Environment Day, but thanks to the water crisis, hot weather and other inconveniences, it had to be postponed to August 17. I am glad it was postponed, as it gave us more time to prepare for the event. The weather was fine and many local residents turned up to help us observe the belated World Environment Day celebrations. I would like to express my appreciation to all the volunteers and visitors who made this event the success that it was, and who have assisted and supported us in our ongoing efforts to protect urban green lungs and rainforests.

Green Living was as usual one of the first interest groups to respond to the request for interest groups to take up booths and organise activities, and I am grateful for the volunteers who stepped forward to help out.

Henry took this photo of the Green Living volunteers (and coordinator!) hard at work at our booth.

First-time volunteers Catherine, Ju Lienne, Catherine and Akshara did an excellent job helping out and explaining concepts such as the 3Rs and Energy Efficiency to the young visitors.

Organic produce at Titi Eco Farm's little stall. The stall helpers were busy watching the Zumba demonstration in the parking area.

Giant soap bubbles on a Sunday morning.

A futsal game in session at the parking area.

Audrey and Marcus helping Steven out at the MNS Herpetofauna booth.

Activity and outreach booths by various NGOs and environmental interest groups.

Power Shift Malaysia's awareness and outreach booth.

Ju Lienne's mother very kindly offered to help me clean up the park using my rubbish claw.

Akshara helping some of our youngest clients out in the 3R Target Shooting Game.

A young visitor trying her hand at the Energy Efficiency Ball Toss game. Shanthini wasn't kidding when she said she is good with children! She was magic!

Sidewalk chalk art. I did the 'Go Solar' one.

A quick pitstop for breakfast for our hardworking volunteers, Akshara, Catherine and Aravind.

The Taman Rimba Riang park in Section 9, which I previously never even knew existed!

My friend Kavita's little son and daughter had their hands and faces painted with a shark and a dolphin respectively. Patricia is a face-painting legend and one of our oldest and most dedicated volunteers. 

Koon Hup, our reliable MNS Flora Group coordinator, surrounded by potted plants for sale.

Participants can learn how to make grasshoppers out of coconut leaves here at the Flora Booth.

A surprised-looking coconut.

Coconut leaf art.

Our volunteer Nature Guide, Azmir, leading the guided walk into Harmony Trail, with Rangamal as the sweeper.

My rubbish claw and green bin bags go with me everywhere. We picked up a lot of rubbish at the end of the trail where the forest ends and the construction site takes over.

George and Rangamal, feeling right at home in the forest.

The distinctive red roots of the Tinjau Belukar (Randia scortechinii King & Gamble).

Strangler fig competing with its host tree for sunlight.

Directions to the Park:

Address: Taman Rimba Riang, Jalan Rimba Riang 9/1d, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor ‎

Google Map: Taman Rimba Riang

World Environment Day 2013 at the Kota Damansara Community Forest

Celebrating our green spaces and fostering activism and environmental responsibility at the Kota Damansara Community Forest on 9th June 2013, in conjunction with World Environment Day and Malaysian Nature Society Selangor's Open Day.

Illani, Liza and Aravind setting up the Green Living games booth upon arrival in the morning.

As usual, we offered our 3 bestselling carnival games -- Water Conservation Ring Toss, Energy Efficiency Ball Toss and 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Nerf Gun Target Shooting Challenge. We donated the day's takings to the Kota Damansara Community Forest Society for their conservation and education projects and to offset the costs of organising the World Environment Day event.

Green Living's objectives have always been to promote environmental education and responsibility and make it easy and entertaining. We gave away lots of free tries and prizes because we wanted the visitors to enjoy themselves. Well, the volunteers and visitors had a good time learning about green living practices, so I couldn't really ask for more.

Indigenous plants for sale, courtesy of our MNS Flora Group. Our resident botanist and Flora Group Coordinator Koon Hup is on hand to explain the names and characteristics of plants.

3 young volunteers from Taylors University College -- Sam, Justin and Amir -- turned up to help out at the Green Living booth.

As soon as it stopped raining, visitors started turning up in droves to participate in the activities.

So, what's owl the fuss about World Environment Day?

Ilyas manning the kayaking registration counter. We ran out of indemnity forms by midmorning because the response was so good.

This photo looks like it was taken at Taman Negara or the Royal Belum Forest Reserve, but it's really just 20 minutes from my home! It was all clogged up and stagnant at one point, but thanks to the efforts of the volunteers, the stream is clean and flowing again and the lake now is litter-free and positively beautiful. What a perfect way of spending a Sunday morning without going out of town!

A wee black panther chose a good seat from which to listen to speeches. "Hello, humans. I hear you have something good to say about my forest. I am listening. So, speak."

There is so much to learn about gardening, composting, food security and energy saving measures at the TTDI Edible Garden Project booth. This initiative is for TTDI residents and friends who aim to utilise wasted space and beautify public spaces by growing edible plants and flowers on unused land. They are currently seeking permission from the local council to use public land within the community centre grounds for a small community edible garden.

Promoting wheelbarrow rides (It's only RM1! It has Zero Carbon Emissions!) on behalf of the TTDI Edible Garden Project.

Glorious organic fruits and veggies for sale at the Titi Eco Farm booth. I have been to their farm once. It was all too quiet and peaceful for me.

Liza and Illani went kayaking during their midmorning break from volunteering duties.

Aravind and I went kayaking too during our break from volunteering duties. It was fun to introduce Aravind to one of my favourite activities. He wasn't exactly thrilled, though, to find his shorts soaked with mossy water from the lake. We both had to walk around in soaked shorts all day.

I decided to have another kayaking session, this time in a single-seater kayak. Here I am, going far, far from the madding crowd. What bliss.

Meeting Khalil, our youngest participant and volunteer, at age 3.5 months! Khalil's parents, Sara and Dylan, are good friends of mine and I was happy to meet up with them again.


For more information on the following organisations and initiatives, visit the links below:

World Environment Day's theme for this year: Think. Eat. Save. http://www.unep.org/wed/theme/

Malaysian Nature Society's official website: http://mns.my/

Kota Damansara Community Forest Society's official website: http://kotadamansaraforest.org/

TTDI Edible Garden Project's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=124807604252127&story_fbid=520481421330837#!/groups/318464218254648/?fref=ts