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Tumble into sustainability

ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show different types of tumblers. PHOTO: YAZID A

As more individuals embrace a greener mind-set and become more eco-conscious by the day, the simple act of sipping water has taken on a whole new meaning.

Gone are the days of relying on single-use plastic bottles; reusable water bottles and tumblers have become not just a functional accessory, but a statement about sustainability, style – and even status to some.

Whether you’re at the gym, the office, or just out and about, a sleek, reusable bottle is now an essential part of daily life – one that blends purpose with personal expression – and it has become very common to see people carrying tumblers around these days, even when they dine in at restaurants.

THE APPEAL OF SUSTAINABILITY

The rise of reusable water bottles and tumblers can largely be attributed to the growing awareness of environmental issues. We’ve all heard the harrowing statistics: the world produces over 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, and a good portion of that is from single-use plastics.

Many of these items, including water bottles, end up in our oceans, causing untold damage to marine life.

With this growing environmental consciousness, reusable bottles have become more than a personal convenience. They’re a small but significant step toward reducing waste and conserving resources.

And, importantly, it’s a step that more and more people are eager to take. By switching to a reusable option, you’re not only helping the environment but also setting an example for others to follow.

But sustainability isn’t the only driving factor behind this trend. Durability and style have also entered the mix, making these bottles not just eco-friendly but also highly desirable accessories.

ABOVE & BELOW: Photos show different types of tumblers. PHOTO: YAZID A
PHOTO: YAZID A
PHOTO: YAZID A
PHOTO: YAZID A

DURABILITY MEETS STYLE

Let’s face it: no one wants to carry around a flimsy, unattractive water bottle. That’s why brands have stepped up their game, creating bottles and tumblers that are not only built to last but look good while doing so.

Materials like stainless steel, double-walled insulation, and BPA-free plastic have become the gold standard, offering durability that ensures your bottle can withstand everything from accidental drops to long hours in a hot car.

Some of the leading brands have mastered the art of balancing functionality with aesthetics. Some have taken on that vibrant colour and robust build combo, while others have adopted a chic, sleek design that makes it look more like a luxury item than a simple water bottle.

Many brands have also gained almost cult-like followings, with people eager to flaunt their bottles at every opportunity.

But it’s not just about practicality anymore. Reusable water bottles have slowly turned into status symbols. The brand you choose says something about who you are and the values you stand for. Owning one of these trendy bottles sends a subtle message: you care about the planet, you appreciate good design, and you’re willing to invest in quality.

It’s a way of expressing individuality, all while staying hydrated.

PERSONALISATION AND CUSTOMISATION

As with any trend, personalisation has found its way into the world of reusable bottles and tumblers. In recent years, people have started to customise their bottles, making them a true reflection of their personal style.

Whether it’s adding a monogram, a favourite quote, or even a set of unique stickers, customising your bottle is a way of making it yours – and ensuring no one accidentally mistakes it for theirs at the gym.

Brands have jumped on this bandwagon, offering customisation options at the point of sale. Some allow you to choose the colour, finish, and even the cap style of your bottle, while others let you engrave your name or a personal message.

This level of customisation adds an extra layer of personal attachment to the bottle, making it more than just an item you carry around but a cherished accessory you use daily.

This trend has also led to the rise of independent sellers offering handcrafted bottle covers, reusable bottle slings, and other accessories. You can find leather sleeves, crochet covers, and even wooden bottle caps, all designed to add that unique touch to your hydration companion.

People love to match their tumblers to their outfits or their activities – think pastel colours for a weekend yoga class or a bold metallic finish for a day at the office. It’s all about finding that perfect blend of style and function.

A SYMBOL OF CHANGE

At the heart of this movement is a desire for change – change in how we treat the environment and how we interact with the items we use every day.

What started as a way to cut down on plastic waste has now evolved into something much bigger: a global movement where sustainability, durability, and style converge.

People are no longer content with disposable culture. Instead, they’re looking for long-lasting products that serve multiple purposes. And with reusable water bottles and tumblers, they’ve found just that.

These bottles are built to withstand the test of time – both in terms of fashion and functionality. They’ve moved beyond being just tools for hydration and have become symbols of conscious living and personal expression.

So, next time you’re choosing a water bottle or tumbler, remember that you’re not just making a purchase – you’re making a statement.

Whether it’s for the environment, for your health, or simply for the joy of owning something uniquely yours, reusable bottles have come to embody so much more than water. They’re a symbol of a better, more thoughtful way of living, one sip at a time. – Izah Azahari

‘Crazy’ tree planter greening Sao Paulo concrete jungle

Helio da Silva, creator of the Tiquatira Linear Park Engineer Werner Eugênio Zulauf, plants a tree at the park, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 4, 2024. In little more than two decades, Helio da Silva has planted more than 40,000 trees -160 different species- in the 3.2 kilometre long and about 100 metres wide plot of land amid the concrete in Sao Paulo, a green gift to the megalopolis in times of climate crisis. (Photo by Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP)
Helio da Silva, creator of the Tiquatira Linear Park Engineer Werner Eugênio Zulauf, plants a tree at the park, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. PHOTO: AFP

SAO PAULO (AFP) – In just over two decades, Brazilian Helio da Silva has single-handedly planted about 40,000 trees in the urban jungle that is Sao Paulo.

The former food industry executive says he was called “crazy” when he started his quest to transform what used to be a hangout for drug users between two busy avenues.

Today, there stands the Tiquatira Park with thousands of trees of 160 species stretched over 3.2 kilometres long and 100 metres wide.

Da Silva, 73, told AFP he did it because he “wanted to leave a legacy to the city that hosted (me). I started and never stopped.”

Da Silva hails from the town of Promissao, about 500 kilometres from Sao Paulo, the biggest city in Latin America, where he moved decades ago.

Without any formal authorisation, Da Silva started in 2003, with no funding but his own savings, to collect and buy cuttings to plant in his adopted city.

Five years later, Sao Paulo formally named his project the city’s first linear park.

According to the municipality, 45 types of birds have been identified in the park.

Helio da Silva, creator of the Tiquatira Linear Park Engineer Werner Eugênio Zulauf, enjoys the park. PHOTO: AFP

“Look how he has transformed that degraded area. It’s splendid!” said Angela Maria Fiorindo Pereira, a 69-year-old retired teacher who frequently walks in the park.

Experts say green spaces like these are crucial to lower the temperature in concrete urban centers and to improve air quality.

Sao Paulo, a city of 12 million people, is highly polluted and has seen air quality degrade even further in recent weeks due to the forest fires ravaging Brazil.

Tree hugger 
Da Silva said he got his idea while out walking with his wife Leda in 2003 in what was then a derelict area of the metropolis.

He estimates he has spent about USD7,000 per year on the project, at the current exchange rate, but did not share his total outlay.

Retired since 2022, he spends his days checking on his trees, seeing whether they need pruning or composting.

He is proud of his work, and likes to stroll among the trees, stopping occasionally to hug a trunk or point out a family of trees from great-grandfather to great-grandson.

Da Silva often travels with two photo albums depicting the transformation of the land and is greeted affectionately wherever he goes.

A visitor enjoys the Tiquatira Linear Park Engineer Werner Eugenio Zulauf. PHOTO: AFP

He says it takes him about 10 minutes to plant a cutting, and he likes talking to them “in a low voice” so people don’t think he is crazy “once again.”

Da Silva gets sporadic help from volunteers, but his vigor for his work remains untainted by age.

His ultimate goal is to plant 50,000 trees, said the man whose business card reads: “Helio da Silva, Tree Planter.”

 

Thai farm culls 125 crocodiles as floodwaters rise

For illustration purposes only. PHOTO: UNSPLASH

BANGKOK (AFP) A crocodile farm in Thailand has culled 125 of the reptiles because of fears they could escape during ongoing floods and endanger human lives, the owner said Wednesday.

Heavy monsoon rains swept across northern Thailand this month, triggering floods and landslides that have killed more than 20 people.

Days of heavy rain in the northern province of Lamphun damaged the enclosures at Natthapak Khumkad’s farm, raising the risk that his herd of three-metre (10-foot) Siamese crocodiles could escape and roam the countryside preying on villagers and livestock.

“The rain was eroding the farm walls, so we sadly had to kill all 125 crocodiles,” he told AFP.

“We’ve had them for 17 years.”

Natthapak said he and his workers electrocuted the animals.

For illustration purposes only. PHOTO: UNSPLASH

Photos on his personal Facebook account showed a digger being used to remove three large crocodiles.

Siamese crocodiles are critically endangered in the wild, but widely bred in farms across Thailand for their skins.

Patarapol Maneeorn, a vet for Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said that while he understood the owner’s decision, the crocodiles could have been transferred to another area not affected by floods.

But Natthapak said he had previously contacted the government to find a temporary shelter for the reptiles, but was rejected because of the large size of the crocodiles.

“This could be a lesson learned in how to handle dangerous animals during natural disasters,” Patarapol told AFP.

‘No more photocopying your IC’: Senior official

Mock up of a digital identity card. PHOTO: MTIC
Mockup of a digital Bruneian identity card. PHOTO: MTIC

The government is aiming to soft launch a national ‘digital identity’ certificate by the end of the year, said Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications (MTIC) Ir Haji Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof in his keynote address at the Brunei Digital Economy Forum 2024.

The permanent secretary said that whenever anyone applies for services in the country, it is common to have to make photocopies of the national identity card. “It is a common thing we do in our transactions in Brunei,” he said. 

“Our aspiration in introducing the digital identity card is so that there is no more need to photocopy of your IC,” he said. 

Mock up of a digital identity card. PHOTO: MTIC

The digital identity card is set to be soft-launched by the end of the year. “This will give you a verifiable, government-issued credential with a secure, single sign-on function for all government services, for the time being,” he said. 

“This project will not only streamline service delivery, but also bolster efforts towards a more inclusive digital society,” he said. 

The permanent secretary said the government hopes that the project will improve access to services, enhance security and fraud prevention, reduce costs for businesses and government, better personalisation and user experience, and better support for digital payments and fintech.

It also hopes to boost e-government services as well as data privacy and compliance.

“More importantly, it will provide seamless, frictionless, authentication across all platforms.”

“Culinary Class Wars” takes S Korea by storm

Star restaurateur Paik Jong-won, blindfolded, tastes a dish created by a contestant in "Culinary Class Wars." PHOTO: NETFLIX/THE KOREA HERALD

SEOUL (ANN/KOREA HERALD) – “Culinary Class Wars,” a trending entertainment show in Korea, is redefining the survival competition format while showcasing the innovative recipes of the nation’s esteemed cooks and chefs.

The series features 100 contestants divided into two teams: the White Team, comprising top star chefs, and the Black Team, which includes lesser-known cooks and local restaurant owners. Participants face a series of elimination challenges, judged by renowned restaurateur Paik Jong-won and Michelin three-star chef Ahn Sung-jae.

Since its debut on September 17, the show has quickly ascended to the top of South Korea’s Netflix charts, maintaining this position for five consecutive days. It also reached the ninth spot among the most popular globally streamed TV shows on Netflix by Sunday, having previously ranked 10th on both Friday and Saturday, according to FlixPatrol.

The show’s popularity has sparked a wave of memes and parodies, with fans humorously recreating contestants’ dishes and the judges’ blind taste-testing moments. Notably, owner-chef Choi Gang-rok’s restaurant, Neo, experienced an overwhelming response, with over 20,000 reservations made within a minute of opening the booking system for next month.

Star restaurateur Paik Jong-won, blindfolded, tastes a dish created by a contestant in “Culinary Class Wars.” PHOTO: ANN/NETFLIX/THE KOREA HERALD

What sets “Culinary Class Wars” apart is its unique take on the survival format, free from the emotional intensity often found in similar shows. Unlike other Korean survival programs that rely on contestants undermining each other, the participants here display mutual respect for one another’s skills and careers. The competition emphasizes culinary expertise as the sole criterion for progression through the elimination rounds.

Additionally, the absence of common controversies associated with survival shows enhances the viewing experience for audiences fatigued by the typical drama.

The choice to feature only two judges adds another distinctive element. Most competition shows utilise an odd number of judges for majority voting; however, with only Paik and Ahn, the two frequently present differing opinions on dishes. Their discussions foster engaging debates, providing valuable insights into their culinary philosophies.

Audiences are further captivated by the contestants’ remarkable creativity. In one challenge, participants highlight their skills using a single ingredient, resulting in visually stunning dishes, such as a YouTuber crafting ice cream with perilla oil and a star chef preparing a radish steak.

As of the latest episode, 20 contestants have been selected from a pool of 80 black team members, all vying to outshine the star chefs. With cliffhangers throughout the episodes, viewers are left eagerly anticipating the next developments.

Episodes 1-4 are now streaming on Netflix, with episodes 5-7 set to release on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Nusantara Airport to support millions of passengers

President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (third left) disembarks the presidential plane upon arriving at Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), during a presidential work visit to the province on Sept. 23, 2024. PHOTO: BPMI SETPRES/MUCHLIS JR/THE JAKARTA POST

JAKARTA (ANN/JAKARTA POST) – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced that the new airport in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, will be capable of serving millions of passengers once it becomes operational.

Jokowi made his inaugural landing at the airport at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, arriving on a BAe 146-200 after visiting Pontianak, West Kalimantan. The quad-engine short-haul aircraft is manufactured by British Aerospace.

Upon landing in Nusantara, the outgoing president, who will be leaving office next month, inspected the airport’s facilities and addressed the media.

“I have instructed the transportation minister to convert this airport into a commercial hub for the public, specifically for haj and umrah flights,” Jokowi stated. He projected that the airport could accommodate around 200,000 passengers by the end of this year, with a long-term goal of serving up to 7 million once fully operational as a commercial airport.

President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (third left) disembarks the presidential plane upon arriving at Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Lombok International Airport in Central Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), during a presidential work visit to the province on Sept. 23, 2024. PHOTO: ANN/JAKARTA POST

However, commercial operations will only commence following the issuance of a presidential regulation (perpres), the president noted, without specifying whether he would sign such a policy. A perpres from last year designated the airport in Nusantara as a “special airport” for government purposes.

“This airport shouldn’t just cater to VVIPs. I want it to be more beneficial for those traveling for umrah, haj, or commuting to and from Nusantara,” Jokowi added.

Regarding his landing experience, the president remarked, “The landing was smooth.”

The Nusantara airport features a runway measuring 2,200 meters long and 30 meters wide, complemented by a 7.5-meter shoulder and a taxiway of 153 by 23 meters. These dimensions are adequate for small aircraft like the BAe-146, which requires a takeoff distance of 1,390 meters and a landing distance of 1,190 meters.

However, the current runway is insufficient for larger aircraft, such as the Boeing Business Jet 2, which is based on the Boeing 737-800 Next Generation. The 737-800 requires a takeoff distance of 2,300 meters and a landing distance of 2,000 meters due to its maximum takeoff weight of 79,000 kilograms.

In recent weeks, officials from the Transportation Ministry and the Air Force have conducted takeoff and landing trials using various aircraft, from light transport planes like the CASA C-212 to heavier ones like the C-130 Hercules. The Air Force confirmed that the runway’s asphalt quality meets necessary standards, with successful stops achieved during trials.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi previously stated that the airport’s verification and calibration stages were completed before the first business jet landed there on September 19. He affirmed that the results met aviation security and safety standards.

Personal Data Protection Order by year’s end: Perm Sec

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications (MTIC) Haji Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof. PHOTO: SIM YH

The government is aiming to introduce the Personal Data Protection Order (PDPO) by the end of the year, said Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Info-communications (MTIC) Haji Mohammad Nazri bin Haji Mohammad Yusof in his keynote address at the Brunei Digital Economy Forum 2024 on Wednesday.

This legal framework addresses the use, collection, and disclosure of personal data by the private sector, said the permanent secretary. He noted several public consultation sessions have been conducted by the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI). 

“Currently, the PDPO is in the final stages of preparation and is targeted to be introduced by the end of the year,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the permanent secretary also highlighted the National Information Hub.

“This platform has been in use since June 2021. It facilitates secure data sharing and comprises the people hub, land hub, and business hub. “This project is pivotal in enhancing interagency collaboration and data-driven decision making.”

He noted that ten government agencies are currently providing data on the platform which is used by fifteen agencies. 

“Benefits of the platform include data consistency and accuracy, improved data accessibility, improved data security, cost-efficiency, faster decision making, easier data governance and compliance, better data quality and integrity, scalability, simplified analytics and reporting, reduce data duplication,” he said.

“In short, the government can be a more data-driven, policymaking entity.” 

Brunei’s July total trade grows by 2.7pc

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The total trade for July 2024 grew by 2.7 per cent to BND1,969.1 million, compared to July 2023. This was contributed by exports valued at BND1,174.9 million and imports valued at BND794.2 million, according to a press release from the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS).

The major contributors to export value were Mineral Fuels at 78.9 per cent, followed by Chemicals at 19.1 per cent and Machinery and Transport Equipment at 1.1 per cent.

The main export markets were Japan at 28.9 per cent, followed by Australia and People’s Republic of China at 18.0 per cent and 15.7 per cent respectively. The largest export commodity to these countries were Mineral Fuels and Chemicals.

Share of exports by trading partners. INFOGRAPHICS: DEPS

Meanwhile, imports in July 2024 were valued at BND794.2 million. The three main imports by commodity were Mineral Fuels, accounting for 62.8 per cent, followed by Machinery and Transport Equipment at 11.4 per cent, and Food at 11.3 per cent.

The largest import partners were Malaysia accounting for 36.8 per cent, followed by Indonesia at 17.4 per cent and Australia at 13.9 per cent. The main import commodities from these partners were Mineral Fuels, Food and Chemicals.

Man fined for littering over SHOAS Bridge

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A man was issued a BND100 compound fine by the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) on September 24 for littering over the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien (SHOAS) Bridge.

The offence was captured on CCTV, prompting enforcement action under Chapter 12(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act (Amendment) 2021. The offender, Awangku Yusri bin Pengiran Yussof has been given seven days to settle the fine. Failure to do so may result in legal proceedings.

The offence captured on CCTV. PHOT: JASTRe 

Should the case go to court and the individual is found guilty, they could face a fine ranging from BND1,000 to BND3,000 for a first-time offence. For repeat offences, the penalties increase to a fine between BND3,000 and BND9,000, and may include imprisonment of up to six months, or both.

JASTRe continues to remind the public to be responsible and dispose of waste properly to maintain the cleanliness of the nation. – DANIEL LIM