Trained to be a GREEN Facilitator

After yesterday’s energetic and full of emotion night, there are approximately 47 people who attended the ‘Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium Facilitator Training Program’. Well, from our college, there are four of us and our advisor, Ms Lim attended as well.

Jon Symes … Speaker for the Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium Facilitator Training Program

The training programme began with each of us telling the rest what energy we want to contribute. Soon, we got into pairs and share our feelings about the earth. This activity got us to listen to others without interrupting. Well, in these days, people are so busy telling others how they feel, what they dislike, what difficulties they faced, people begin to forget what is like to listen to others. This is a good chance for us to learn.

Listen intensely … All the trainees are watching the video intensely, feeling something in them is changing.

Let’s not bore you with details about the training but I felt obliged to tell you the story of the Achuars.

Who is the Origin of the World? The speaker, Jon Symes, shared with us his story about them. It started off with the actual people, the Achuars (Warriors Tribe). This symposium arose out of a request, a “call”. An indigenous dream culture in the Amazon region of Ecuador and Peru, the Achuars, make the call as they see the earth destruction in their dream. Hence, they interpret their dream through the traditional ‘Dream Interpretation Ceremony’ and in the interpretation they saw themselves taking out weapons to fight the ‘threat’. Due to that, the Achuars stood out of their home and meet up with the ‘threat’ which is the modern world. They met the founder of Pachamama Alliances and since then, the Pachamama Alliances was established and the quest of symposium begins.

This is how the Achuar met up with the modern world and begin their quest to fight the ‘threat’. Why don’t we fight together with them to fight the ‘threat’? Why not?

Think deeply … what we can do to change the current state.

In the facilitator training, the trainees discuss their point of view on the environmental issue and also voice out their concern on various issues including the best method to conduct a symposium. You may not know, but through this symposium we have met many people from around the world and we learn a lot from them. It offers a platform to enlighten our vision of the human beings’ responsibility and their relationship with the future of humankind on planet Earth.

Moreover, we are committed to stay awake in a state of ‘blessed unrest’. Do you know what the meaning of ‘blessed unrest’ is? Bet you don’t. Blessed unrest it’s when you know and understand the urgency of the situation but you also knows that the possibilities are greater than the crisis. You know, and you help others to see and embrace it into their lives as well.

What are our roles on planet Earth other than to seek for true love? Other than earn millions of money for the next generation when the next generation may not even live long enough to enjoy the wealth?

We heard, we saw, we knew. We are paying a price way too high for the humankind to bear. So, let us embrace it gracefully, educate others and commit action to change the world.

To end it … all the trainees formed a circle and use one word to describe their feeling

For remembrance … a group photo for all trainees and can you spot Ms Lim?

Cheers!!

Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find.
~Quoted in Time~

The Awakening the Dreamer Changing the Dream Symposium

“It’s not just a planet…It’s home.”
This is the first slide show that popped out. We can feel the tidiness in our chest. It is time to wake up everybody!!!

After the impressive talk in our college, we looked deeper into the environmental issue where a few of us, APR1 students, attended the ‘The Awakening The Dreamer Changing The Dream Symposium” at Millennium Hotel.

This symposium’s purpose:
Bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet as the guiding principle of our times.

There were 3 people who gave talk on that day. The one we are most familiar Greenest Person - Mr. Matthias, Awakening the Dreamer Outreach Director from The Pachamama Alliance - Jon Symes and a girl who is full with passion from Hong Kong- Jo Fok.

This symposium was really awesome!! Waoh!! Most of the time they were showing the videos that has great impact on us. Before they start the videos, they threw us 4 questions at us:

1. Where we are? – An examination of the state of environmental, social and personal well-being
2. How did we get here? - Tracing the root causes that lead to our current imbalance.
3. What’s possible for the future? – Discovering new ways of relating with each other, with the Earth and looking at the emerging Movement for change.
4. Where do we go from here? – Considering the stand we want to be in the world and our personal and collective impact.

The way they conduct the symposium was pretty special. They asked many questions during the symposium in order make the audiences to think about the problems that are faced by Mother Earth and what we can do about it. After every video shared, we will form into groups and discuss about it, then share the conclusion to others.

After watching the video, we will form into groups, discuss about the environment and later share our opinion with those attended. Mr. Jon asked, “Who give you hope?”


Jon Symes, he loves the earth that he even sacrificed his 1st year wedding anniversary celebration with his wife just to attend a talk at Hong Kong. How passionate is that? What about you?

On the other hand, Mr.Matthias, the Greenest Person on earth, who claims himself as a ‘Kampung Boy’ that tries hard to learn some Malay language and even said a few words like ‘Teh O Limau Kurang Manis’ and ‘Mamak Buka Dua Puluh Empat Jam’ in order to blend in to our culture. Can you see his effort?

Lastly, Miss Jo Fok. She flew over to our country just to try her best to help to bring success to the symposium. She almost cried when she shared her feelings on the Julia Butterfly Hill’s sharing video clip.

Julia Butterfly is an American activist and environmentalist who lived on the tree. Julia, affectionately also known as "Luna," stayed there to prevent loggers of the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting the tree down. Her spirit to protect the tree was really tough and we should really learn from her. There was one sentence that wakes us; “There is nothing so called ‘throw AWAY’! Where is the away?!”

However, the video that have most impact on that day was the results of a research done on our beloved earth. We never knew that 90% large fish disappeared from ocean. We never knew that 75% of world’s forest has been eliminated. We never knew that lung and breast cancer has doubled its count in the past 30 years.

Shocked by that? We are. We felt useless that we are not aware of what that is happening to Mother Earth.

Everyone knows Nike’s tagline “Just Do It”. Let us apply this to the environment actions to help Mother Earth. Just do it to get a better Earth.

For more information, log on to http://www.globalmindshift.org/ OR http://www.oneearth.org/ OR http://www.awakeningthedreamer.org/

P/s: ‘Inconvenient Truth’ is a movie recommended by Mr. Matthias.


‘I am of the opinion that my life belong to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can’
~ George Bernard Shaw ~

Pre-event Public Talk by Mr. Matthias

Hello! Hello! The exact word that is used to greet the whole APR 1 and AAV 2 that woke them up from day-dreaming. It's him, The Greenest Person on the Planet, Mr. Matthias Gelber, who came to our college to give a public talk on “Environment Issues”.

This talk is a great opportunity for the APR 1 and AAV2 students to get a basic knowledge about the environment before they kick off their honourable journey to organise an environmental conservation event with the name “SOS Earth” on the 11th and 12th August 2009 at Tunku Abdul Rahman College, Kuala Lumpur Main Campus, College Hall.

If you are wondering if the talk was boring, wonder again. You also might think that his English will be flourished with German accent, as his a German, then you are wrong. He speaks simple English that is easy to be understood without accent and this is very much because he has been here, Malaysia, for some time now.

Mr. Matthias was giving an enthusiastic talk to educate students on the importance of protecting the environment.

During the talk, Mr. Matthias told his childhood story by presenting few pictures where he refers himself as a “Kampung Boy” that caught us with a smile. He highlighted the difference of the winter between the time of his childhood and the current. All this changes is due to the environmental problem.

By showing some pictures of flora and fauna, it triggered us that if we do not start to take action to protect the earth, the following generation will not be able to witness flora and fauna again. In the talk, he shared his own experience on some actions that he carried out to try, or start, saving the earth such. He cooperates with the management team and cleaner in his condominium to separate waste to make sure recycling process can be done easier. Not only his experiences that he shared, he too tells us what others had done to save the earth.

Before ending his talk, he questioned “Are you doing all you can?”. That sentence pretty much sums up what he thinks the people here has contributed. He too said that everything starts with a belief. With the belief, you will have your own stand, and you will work hard in order to achieve these believes. This applies to the act of saving earth. AS LONG AS YOU BELIEVE, THEN YOU CAN DO IT!!

Our kind advisors, Miss Lim Siz Siz and Miss Serene Yong, also part of the audiences in the talk presented a small gift as a token of appreciation to Mr. Matthias.

After the mind triggering talk, we know and understand the situation that we are facing now deep down in our heart. No longer in the planning stage, it’s action time! Our event tag line: F.L.O.R.A (Future Lies On Responsive Action) shows how much the future depends on our actions. So, come join us in this meaningful event on August!!!

Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites.
~William Ruckelshaus, Business Week, 18 June 1990~

Pre-event Visit to "Go green, Live Green!"

As we are going to hold an event based on environmental issue on the coming August, we have to start preparing ourselves with enough information and grab hold of any chance of attending similiar events. Therefore, we attended Green Day Celebration 2009, an event which held in conjunction with the World Environment Day.

The Star's 2009 Green Day Celebration, which was held on the 7th June from 8am to 3 pm at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) with the theme of "Go Green, Live Green".

There are a lots pf people looking at different booths on the event in the early morning.

Federal territories Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin launched the event. He stressed the need of protecting the environment and educates the Malaysians on the important of going green in his speech. he also demonstrated the making of enzyme with his wife Datuk Nafisah Rana nong Chik, the Star's group chief editor Datuk Wong Chuan Wai, Bonuslink general Manager Victor Goon and FRIM Director General (DG) Dato' Dr Abd. Latif Mohmod.

Dato' Dr Abd .Latif Mohmod(from left), Datuk Nafisah Rana nong Chik, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, Datuk Wong Chun Wai and Victor Goon are demonstrating the making of enzyme.

There were series of activities created for the benefits of the public in getting knowledge on going green:

1. Recycle your old mobile phone complete with batteries & related accessories. Every phone recycled is entitled to an adoption of tree planted in your name at Lombok Indonesia. You will also stand a chance to win a Nokia phone on the spot.

2. Nature Walk on FRIM Keruing Trail.

Session: 11am-12noon & 2pm-3pm.

Only open to 290 people per session on first come first serve basis.

3. Guided Nature Trail & Canopy Walk.

Session: 9am, 10.30am & 12noon

4. Tree Climbing Demonstration

Session: 10.oo am, 11.oo am &12.30 noon

5. Sand Art activities for kids.

6. Recycle for a free Revive. It was opened for first 200 people only.

7. Energy saving Bulbs Give away.

8. Signatures collection in support of turtle campaign by WWF. Buy WWF merchandise there or take photo with animal standees for donation of RM5.

9. Demonstration on making own Garbage Enzyme.

10. Face and T-shirt Painting.

11. Cat's adoption. There were few kitten waitng to be adopted by public!

There were activities on the stage other than booth activities:

~ RED FM's Morning Breakfast Crew were promoting its popular campaign "Shake Our Hands to win 10 Grand with JD & Dilly!" The two DJ and Daily hosted few activities on stage for interaction with public.

~Suria FM and TV3 provided live entertainment with prominent artists including Farah Asyikin and Fazli Zainal form Malaysian Idol, Azizat from Akademi Fantasia as well as Karam Singh and Azharina. Quiz based on environmental issue were given by them.

JD and Dilly who are DJs from red FM host a fun games to interact with the crowd.

It is crowded here as the children gather together to play musical instruments lead by the conductor.

Different designs for the face and T- shirt painting and they love it!

Our members got the chance to feel the nature by joining the Nature Walk session at the FRIM Keruing Trail.

We really had fun in joining different activities during the event. It was a very meaningful day for us as we learned new tips in protecting the environment and also an experience gained for our coming events.

Go Green, Live Green!

I am the earth. You are the earth. The Earth is dying. You and I are murderers.
~Ymber Delecto~

Pre-event Visit to "The Green I Need to Be"

It's Sunday! Now, what do we say about Sunday? Family day? Rest day? Sleeping day? Probably...But if you ask twenty-three of Advanced Diploma in Public Relations students, they will say."We are Going Green!!"

In order to arrive in time, four cars patrolling all the way from Tunku Abdul Rahman College (TARC) entrance to Great Eastern Mall for the purpose of visiting the environmental exhibition. Well, we even turn a big round at the petrol station and the workers were looking at us. All four cars!

Twenty-three students gathered at Great Eastern Mall to gain extra knowledge and have a better understanding on how the earth is deteriorating under our eyes. the exhibition with name of' 'The Green I Need to Be' collaborates with WWF-Malaysia, Global Environment Centre and Alam Flora to educate the younger generation of the importance of conserving the environment. Each of the Non-Governmental Organisations has their own booth with information ready for the public.

GEC booth... All are eager to obtain useful information but you guys will give the promoter a shock by surrounding her! Pity her...

Alam Flora booth...One Peson?Look closely, he totally covers the promoter face!

WWF booth... It is surrounded by people and I wonder who they are. They look familiar, oh yes, they are the organising committee. Keen to get information for our own event.

We were very unfortunate as we were only able to participate at the last day of the exhibition. But we were able to grasp an insight of the effort of all three organisations in achieving their objective to create awareness among the public on the environmental issue. As it was the last day, we take the opportunity to talk with the exhibitors and took part in a few activities organised.

Baking Session... The coordinators are teaching the children on how to bake a cake. The ingredients to bake the cake are all eco-friendly materials.

Drawing contest... the children are having drawig contest on the stage.

Winner!... Aren't she cute? She won the drawing contest!


Playing together with the children ... We join the children to plant trees!

From the pictures above, you will found that a few of us are able to blend in with the children on the floor. (WE LOOK YOUNG!!Haha!) In this activity, "Go Green! Plant your poter plant", we were required to plant with coffee bean fertilisers sponsored by StarBuck. If you want to know, the eco-friendly fertilizers smell strongly of coffee. (Maybe we cab make coffee with it!)

Entertainment time ... We are entertained by the cheerleading squad.

Next, is the ECO fun game - Herbs and Stuffs. In this game, the host specifically call a game for TAR College students only. Guess what, the students of TAR College manage to come out with combinations even the children with incredible imaginative mind would never come out with. Mint for Laksa? Rosemary herbs for roast lamb? Weird taste for food...

Match them ... A child is figuring out which ingredients will make good curry chicken!

With crutches ... Although he found some difficulty in it, nonetheless he completes the task with a smile o his face!

Global Environmental Centre gave a talk on river care and solid waste. In the talk, the speaker taught us how to fertiliser using solid wastes which are environmental friendly and have much nutrient for the plants.

Organic fertiliser ... The beautiful speaker patiently explains to us how to make a fertiliser using solid waste such as carrot and tomato.

It is definitely a day full of excitement and it gave us an in-sight of our own event which will be held soon!

Please look forward to it!!

Coming soon......


Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognise his values...Gd made life simple. It is man who complicates it.
~ Charles A. Lindbergh, Reader's Digest, July 1972 ~