PEDAL POWER: Chin cycles with iGEM green ambassador, Shriya Biaspal to power up a toy car at a media briefing leading up to iGEM 2012.
By JO TIMBUONG
bytz@thestar.com.my
bytz@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: It is not enough to go around proclaiming that green is good for the environment and healthier living.
The masses must also be shown that going green in their lives is not going to be expensive, said Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui, Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water.
He said the people must also learn that environmentally-friendly products and services are cost efficient, meaning they can help them save money.
He was speaking at a briefing for news media on the upcoming iGEM (International Green Tech and Eco Products Exhibition and Conference Malaysia) 2012.
Among the event's objectives is to show the many green technology products and services available; these range from home appliances to industrial clean-energy solutions.
Chin said the adoption of these technologies will help reduce the country's carbon footprint.
Malaysia aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 40%, following a pledge made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen three years ago.
But there is no point in just encouraging the use of green technologies if too few or no one uses them, Chin said.
He said the uptake of these technologies rests on teaching more people about employing such products and services, and we see iGEM helping us to achieve this goal.
The Government is doing its part via its Save (sustainability achieved via energy efficiency) initiative - which provides discount vouchers to consumers who want to buy energy-saving home appliances.
"Results have been encouraging and my ministry is thinking up more initiatives to further encourage consumers to adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle," Chin said.
iGEM 2012 is scheduled to open at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre tomorrow. It will last until Saturday.
There will be about 600 booths by more than 300 exhibitors, and visitors can look forward to seeing how green technology is employed in different countries and industries.
Also there, will be a Green Book Resource Centre where visitors can go learn more about green technologies.
The theme for iGEM 2012 is Green Tech for Growth, and the organisers are expecting about 100,000 visitors this year. Last year iGEM drew about 68,000 visitors.
For more information, point your web browser at www.igem.com.my/2012/.
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