Environmental Investment is Luxury

I have a discussion with Mr Anthony Tan, the Executive Director of CETDEM last week about the prospect of sustainable home in Malaysia. We, both agreed that it is the only way forward and brighter the prospect if few conditions are in place. For example, economic incentives such as tax rebate are provided by the Government, voluntarism of individual with enhanced capacity in environmental education and stricter enforcement. However, top of all is the awareness and passion of the people.

No point of providing incentives to people for installing solar panel for Renewable Energy, providing 3 colour bin for them to carry out recycling, providing free water supply, building community centre for greater interaction if the people are not appreciating these or worse do not understand and see the need for doing so. It will definitely not sustainable.

People has always linked return of investment to the environmental protection measures. They always talk about value for money in purchasing energy saving accredited refrigerator and light pulps, saving of electricity bill in installing the solar heater and energy saver, buying the hybrid car for saving fuel and etc. Nothing wrong with this as many of us are cost conscious.

What I really do not understand is people would make renovation work to the back potion of their new house immediately after handing over of key and without asking what is the return of investment. Similarly, we will buy a LCD TV without asking the return of value except with the satisfaction level on quality of visual impact. But, when it comes to environmental protection equipment, we start asking the ROI. Perhaps I presume, people do not understand the need of doing so to the mother earth and hence are not forceful of doing so.

In the long term, perhaps for green movement to filter down to the grassroots level and make it a "basic need" for quality and sustainable lifestyle, we should try to raise awareness of the people first on such necessary expenses.