World Environment Day 2008 today comes on the brink of many environmental disasters around the world. Sixteen years have passed since the Earth Summit in 1992 and we are still lacking in steps to preserve the resources that we are left with. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) celebrates this day with the slogan ‘Kick the habit! Towards a low-carbon economy’.

In the context of Malaysia, our economy is very much related to fuel. By using our natural resource, which is petroleum, our economy was boosted to a fast-growing one. However, it has been highlighted that this has caused environmental degradation and serious social, economic and environmental impacts to fellow Malaysians.

We must alert ourselves that our petroleum reserves will be depleting in the years to come and we should focus on new alternates that are much more eco-friendlier for a long-term solution. This also brings forth the real cost of living that we are escaping due to subsidies.

We should focus on jointly shouldering the effect of the reduction of subsidies as citizens of Malaysia. Our steps and measures now will ensure that we leave our descendants with a future which is sustainable.

We must improve our lifestyle to one that is in tune with a more sustainable lifestyle. It is highly important that we should not think that one individual can change the world. Together though, we can and together we can manage to improve our environmental quality. Together, we can create a better future for our children and their children.

Fomca urges the government as well as industries to improve their consumer education on issues related to a sustainable lifestyle which is a part of sustainable consumption. Government agencies should shoulder these by introducing better legislation and economic instruments to create a smooth flow of changes. It is impossible to put the burden on the consumers alone as there should first be a clear direction on where they should head.

Fomca hopes industries can play a more important role in ensuring services and products carry the message of a‘sustainable lifestyle’. It is highly important and at the same time also challenging for industries to implement this. This can be done with the means of energy-efficient products, eco-friendly products, tips and messages to educate consumers on a sustainable lifestyle and many more other ways.

The cooperation and relationship between the government, the industry and the consumer is vital in ensuring a smooth change in lifestyle. Working hand-in-hand is always the smarter choice.

There are many ways for all of us to do this. A lot of information is available on the Internet for all of us to learn from. Get yourself connected to information and act now. You can make a difference.

The writer is president, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca).