tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87146303142661906992024-03-13T21:41:23.779-07:00Johor GreenUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-9855233131450641762023-12-05T23:56:00.000-08:002024-01-03T21:44:09.287-08:00Nature Class @ Kebun Kotak, Year in Review<p>At the beginning of December 2022 we added 5 more boxes to the initial set of 4 boxes at <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.com/2023/07/kebun-kotak.html"><b>Kebun Kotak</b></a>. We used these boxes full of soil as a good opportunity to acquaint the kids at Sekola Baroka with concepts and ideas about "<b><i>the earth</i></b>". We made them aware of what it was made of (sand, clay, hummus), what might live in it like microbes and earthworms. Additionally we talked about manure and mulch and root systems. And so the journey of this garden in an urban back lane began as a tool for learning about nature in the school's backyard.</p><p>We start our classes outdoors but then move indoors where we continue the theme we started. In this case we showed examples of 'earth colours' describing how we use language and concepts drawn from nature into every day life and we had them draw earth based landscapes that we had talked about or they had seen before like beaches or parks. This way we connect nature to their surroundings or conversations or human activity - ethnobotany is an important concept we want the kids to learn about , how humans interact with nature and make it part of their lifestyles and culture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cEM0nv5k0TlJh91ar9jzD_7-Yj2AXEriyqSwZVaKiM3kJLU7HZJNgcYMKKeAEdhGRli85xi1x72xLEUtVA9h-i2k-TNMMU6hicHzh6qaIpedelnqnG8blv00kTe8CWChoG3Hx6p1yCReq_9R-ITNiDTk4tmOZb_8QqC4IMzhXiAla0ARkvOXXHNWfOnQ/s1410/20221209_164817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cEM0nv5k0TlJh91ar9jzD_7-Yj2AXEriyqSwZVaKiM3kJLU7HZJNgcYMKKeAEdhGRli85xi1x72xLEUtVA9h-i2k-TNMMU6hicHzh6qaIpedelnqnG8blv00kTe8CWChoG3Hx6p1yCReq_9R-ITNiDTk4tmOZb_8QqC4IMzhXiAla0ARkvOXXHNWfOnQ/s1410/20221209_164817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJPBfqox6eszQaYo3q7JWcA3sb49gCtc1RcwCZ72p0RUd3dJHfIAdXbr19eDe6e8VA-3W9ayxntacQafQKZmO3iIePNU_7qUYg4ljmNKChaPB5K5V_uucUOdsO8dAUgZ6mvQJ0dOEU9gwIUoUTG6qPrsWqi6iXtSOupzjeIAs-UztjdfZ0QUGfOJShkv_/s1662/20221213_145908.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1246" data-original-width="1662" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJPBfqox6eszQaYo3q7JWcA3sb49gCtc1RcwCZ72p0RUd3dJHfIAdXbr19eDe6e8VA-3W9ayxntacQafQKZmO3iIePNU_7qUYg4ljmNKChaPB5K5V_uucUOdsO8dAUgZ6mvQJ0dOEU9gwIUoUTG6qPrsWqi6iXtSOupzjeIAs-UztjdfZ0QUGfOJShkv_/w361-h271/20221213_145908.jpg" width="361" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBxlYrDnQ4CMb6A-noiBQZAg4i2F5ONkiRURfagJCrei5nNOdjPV_MxxYc7mUAfQg1zWQOwxN5CQMdCqINSxu5jk8TlT_56mMbRsvNjD_-xB1rMEF78N0d8rM2qlJGLsWK-5MbPekOGIo3GwvhDWbbTJ0hgmV8B-bJNrqew3NL_DgRnoS3Z_MgR3mweCKa" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="1058" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBxlYrDnQ4CMb6A-noiBQZAg4i2F5ONkiRURfagJCrei5nNOdjPV_MxxYc7mUAfQg1zWQOwxN5CQMdCqINSxu5jk8TlT_56mMbRsvNjD_-xB1rMEF78N0d8rM2qlJGLsWK-5MbPekOGIo3GwvhDWbbTJ0hgmV8B-bJNrqew3NL_DgRnoS3Z_MgR3mweCKa=w207-h276" width="207" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJPBfqox6eszQaYo3q7JWcA3sb49gCtc1RcwCZ72p0RUd3dJHfIAdXbr19eDe6e8VA-3W9ayxntacQafQKZmO3iIePNU_7qUYg4ljmNKChaPB5K5V_uucUOdsO8dAUgZ6mvQJ0dOEU9gwIUoUTG6qPrsWqi6iXtSOupzjeIAs-UztjdfZ0QUGfOJShkv_/s1662/20221213_145908.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><p>In the months that followed we used what was available at the garden which we planted with an eclectic mix of plants - leaves, flowers, branches helped detail more specific ideas about smells, textures, the idea of native and exotic plants. </p><p>Although we teach 'soil science' about how to make a planting medium for plants to grow, we avoid narrowing or over focussing on growing food to eat mainly because we want the kids to have a much broader outlook of the garden that includes a sensory experience- textures, smells and then ideas about the many uses of plants from medicines to dyes and fibres for weaving. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_2fuUnnbv2bwcRrBguy1sGbAylTO34YN00Aj20MzpvrssXjPol_xNcIOP6HEtYO6HZWsNaNM0ZhXPSfRv7QwlRgRS7_9pD0T3qwHMW41Ca3uoPUXn6fmijVJnbR7RMHGKljJxzKsWLYVWi-L47xQ1BqcsfWaAbt2orGW06wyLo0RsnbbAcR9bZOJiRyc/s1250/Screenshot%202023-12-06%20at%203.50.40%20PM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1190" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_2fuUnnbv2bwcRrBguy1sGbAylTO34YN00Aj20MzpvrssXjPol_xNcIOP6HEtYO6HZWsNaNM0ZhXPSfRv7QwlRgRS7_9pD0T3qwHMW41Ca3uoPUXn6fmijVJnbR7RMHGKljJxzKsWLYVWi-L47xQ1BqcsfWaAbt2orGW06wyLo0RsnbbAcR9bZOJiRyc/w336-h352/Screenshot%202023-12-06%20at%203.50.40%20PM.png" width="336" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi7NtT35qDgiFg4zL7BtIwqfrGk_o27bLYdYDMpHzd4LbBG9OVOcjjzP5jsrYm3n0TYhdweknIlZVF2GVd5dUQRfcjG0O0jFhTqOC23gWXOkA3UpXMyMmBl0qx2HC9JdW-ZT3RRv-vb_DhDjVo_K9UyNC3WRDmM3TOEr8r1PcVg0ozqDdCBiXvdoczkaO/s1200/Screenshot%202023-12-06%20at%203.50.54%20PM.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1014" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi7NtT35qDgiFg4zL7BtIwqfrGk_o27bLYdYDMpHzd4LbBG9OVOcjjzP5jsrYm3n0TYhdweknIlZVF2GVd5dUQRfcjG0O0jFhTqOC23gWXOkA3UpXMyMmBl0qx2HC9JdW-ZT3RRv-vb_DhDjVo_K9UyNC3WRDmM3TOEr8r1PcVg0ozqDdCBiXvdoczkaO/w297-h352/Screenshot%202023-12-06%20at%203.50.54%20PM.png" width="297" /></a></div><p>We also want the garden to be a source of play and creativity and to use observation and language to be able to communicate ideas about the garden or their responses to this natural environment while they are spending time in it.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxVedsjvsZ2Ehy_Ktc-E9ftZve98xM17MUwlIUZmJZVQiKFa4WwHpZPgPTidnDxpbZXDz4m1bfuGSEVgmAO4kTp4oWnP225GG5Wem5SYC1X5tlYvH7Paeuj_Qmmer2bS5XPR_u3zmq_qM4Y1Z-lc9G8KElrJ7WvhrVtaPKk_LiQbxyCvyfXrYdmveiORp/s1386/20230728_204438-1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="1040" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxVedsjvsZ2Ehy_Ktc-E9ftZve98xM17MUwlIUZmJZVQiKFa4WwHpZPgPTidnDxpbZXDz4m1bfuGSEVgmAO4kTp4oWnP225GG5Wem5SYC1X5tlYvH7Paeuj_Qmmer2bS5XPR_u3zmq_qM4Y1Z-lc9G8KElrJ7WvhrVtaPKk_LiQbxyCvyfXrYdmveiORp/w247-h329/20230728_204438-1.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>By June and July we already had a thriving garden and were able to start talking about the concept of a garden - what are gardens? who takes care of them? We had a first session of maintenance where the kids helped to trim and organise the plants, helping them to climb, pruning for better growth. By this point we had more material to take indoors to do activities with - flower stamping, terbal drinks etc. <p></p><p>By October and November, there were many examples of wildlife- snails, spiders, ants and we were able to have more discussions about wildlife in the city, the benefits of a garden space for their fellow non human citizens. By this point we are asking for more participation in observing, describing and recording what they are seeing and what is happening in the garden.We are also able now to talk about concepts of natural vs manmade and positive and negative forces in the garden.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRgN2NuUSW6CA681HmjWsyv2G_0u7okgNMJLHKbQ6zNiVYBL5DKjiyf618SnQ9ySSs4J2cef_Ru4wLY2RlTp5jnT68haZFXYFs6m6CU1SJqZi0Lggh03MP-mrg0LMnTr0LULFWv7XWcA9N2lPVVeU6_Ht4G71gYkZDkbGrQYmA1SMWdImRozHlrjrD8fJ/s1024/6474cee2-b810-43f1-bd09-9e284339df68.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRgN2NuUSW6CA681HmjWsyv2G_0u7okgNMJLHKbQ6zNiVYBL5DKjiyf618SnQ9ySSs4J2cef_Ru4wLY2RlTp5jnT68haZFXYFs6m6CU1SJqZi0Lggh03MP-mrg0LMnTr0LULFWv7XWcA9N2lPVVeU6_Ht4G71gYkZDkbGrQYmA1SMWdImRozHlrjrD8fJ/w206-h365/6474cee2-b810-43f1-bd09-9e284339df68.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><p>We round the year off by beginning to introduce the kids to individuals who are working with Nature - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz3Q_XuSiFa/?img_index=1">creating game</a>s, artwork. We will be continuing into the new year along these lines where they will meet chefs, people who work in parks, farmers etc to show how work and employment can be related to nature.</p><p>This journey that the kids have been part of - of the garden maturing and becoming a recurring place of fun, learning and just simply being in we hope we are imparting an imprtant concept - that of eco literacy. Not just knowing about nature but its role in our city and in our everyday lives. We also hope we are creating memories for them - nature based memories that can become as important as the ones they develop of growing up in an urban city.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-86597391030405775552023-07-09T04:25:00.000-07:002024-02-28T19:13:05.252-08:00Kebun Kotak<p><span style="font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrGiiFRQWGF6lmd4_OBOVrnr1uvB434hGB0LOQfnwv_nLmvLS0zacChNQ6U_hCq6UaUFyeiFfYaPiUUc4VYpsC2Xqme0lQIUeJE6sjx3AH4zu55ftmjCKGlnswvNJFLI-fG0z61gDvqhHQlJVrNChKyPMtm9S8GCoOQUlx9b8ndXCVUSyj7Fgt4rgwdTX/s1542/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.17.29%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="1542" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIrGiiFRQWGF6lmd4_OBOVrnr1uvB434hGB0LOQfnwv_nLmvLS0zacChNQ6U_hCq6UaUFyeiFfYaPiUUc4VYpsC2Xqme0lQIUeJE6sjx3AH4zu55ftmjCKGlnswvNJFLI-fG0z61gDvqhHQlJVrNChKyPMtm9S8GCoOQUlx9b8ndXCVUSyj7Fgt4rgwdTX/w640-h214/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.17.29%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Kebun Kotak or 'Garden Box' is an outdoor classroom and urban green space for nature based classes and programs that raise eco-literacy and build a connection with nature. </b></h3><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Droid Sans"; font-size: 18pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p>This garden was first built as a collaboration between Johor Green and Sekola Baroka with funding from UNESCO in 2021 to serve as an outdoor classroom for the children who attend Sekola Baroka's evening classes in the building adjacent to the garden. In 2022 we received additional funding from Iskandar Regional Development Authority's Downtown Johor Bahru Grant program managed by Think City to substantially increase the size of the garden as well as to ensure regular maintenance and to facilitate a monthly Nature Class here.<p style="line-height: 1.6667; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 9pt;"><span style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: 400; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd_Xk0DbAgHOdqUwEcb3dBbcxpmQLuNQBSLetC-zrdLwAxvzefHiL81NhZf5yTFVpfAnJeuoebN66TXMVO4kYTzqdCzauCx8587yJFla-RxywmBygj6y6yXFPrOekoYJ1x7v0ovmemMyyvJhQr5qGXlW_UUoxpgWY7lQHVWpeJ2ek_O78WwiC0jMq-nL7/s1580/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.18.29%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="1580" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd_Xk0DbAgHOdqUwEcb3dBbcxpmQLuNQBSLetC-zrdLwAxvzefHiL81NhZf5yTFVpfAnJeuoebN66TXMVO4kYTzqdCzauCx8587yJFla-RxywmBygj6y6yXFPrOekoYJ1x7v0ovmemMyyvJhQr5qGXlW_UUoxpgWY7lQHVWpeJ2ek_O78WwiC0jMq-nL7/w640-h216/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.18.29%20PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: 400; text-align: center; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div>The garden is a lush mix of tropical plants, many of them indigenous to Malaysia to help understand what is the botanical identity of our region. The plants are selected to exhibit a range of unique traits like colour, texture, scent, or thorns to feature the diversity of our local flora. The plants also provide material for classes and workshops to understand concepts of ethnobotany - the relationships between humans and nature and how plants have been and continue to be used for food, medicine, arts and crafts.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FggzmCqpKx6V7P1T49o7599CTS-C5nAYuTExdDOKxqBKKFwjhE4uTcYCPxJQ3agtnEVjIGzuocXslSE_k2FQ6H1s4CvnN3dxoga8jkwnCcIBGaQLiYYobOuFtsZKShfb4QfYsQ6AtkCQPrQ24z7rJqxwu42Bvqq_RuSJlM6b16Xh_beXY81f-5NDFe_2/s1582/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.18.49%20PM.png" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="1582" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FggzmCqpKx6V7P1T49o7599CTS-C5nAYuTExdDOKxqBKKFwjhE4uTcYCPxJQ3agtnEVjIGzuocXslSE_k2FQ6H1s4CvnN3dxoga8jkwnCcIBGaQLiYYobOuFtsZKShfb4QfYsQ6AtkCQPrQ24z7rJqxwu42Bvqq_RuSJlM6b16Xh_beXY81f-5NDFe_2/w640-h212/Screenshot%202023-07-09%20at%207.18.49%20PM.png" width="640" /></a><div><br />The garden also functions as an urban green space where we will be holding social events that promote spending time outdoors and as a model for the importance of having nature available in urban built up areas.<p></p><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.6667; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p>Please contact us on our listed whatsapp or social media accounts if you are interested in becoming a volunteer or are interested in supporting our efforts to bring more nature into our city and raise eco literacy.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Related: <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.com/2023/12/nature-class-kebun-kotak-year-in-review.html">The year in Revie</a>w</b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-35893859340649465332019-11-11T03:37:00.000-08:002021-06-13T04:40:23.782-07:00Organic farming in Southeast Asia<br /><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B0IkSFv2X3Y/YMXuSuR7k3I/AAAAAAABk5E/79QQvvqTaZMIGzma4NTri2DW88ChvOjWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h334/Organic%2Bfarming%2Bin%2BSoutheast%2BAsia.jpg" /><br /><br /><div>Excerpt from <a href="https://theaseanpost.com/article/organic-farming-southeast-asia">Organic farming in Southeast Asia:</a><br /><br /><div>"Johor Green is a Malaysia-based social enterprise focused on a sustainable urban lifestyle. Chris Parry, founder of Johor Green, started the initiative as a side project, after observing the strange lifestyle of Malaysians who were “living” in malls. <br /><br />Together with Medini Iskandar, a township developer, Parry developed and managed the Medini Green Parks comprising of a four-acre Edible Park and a seven-acre Heritage Forest. The edible park is a landscape and platform for cultivating a community around the current idea of sustainable food, whereas the forest is a wild landscape showcasing the local botanic heritage and re-establishing biodiversity and eco-services. <br /><br />Parry wanted to merge the idea of local food and native plants with the local context. <br /><br />“I’m interested in this concept of food sovereignty. I don’t think we have a food security problem here because we still have access to food and a lot of food is grown here. The problem is people are eating the wrong food. So that is food sovereignty, where someone comes in and affects your culture in such a way that you change your mind about what you are supposed to be eating,” he said. <br /><br />Johor Green has “a program to suggest an alternative” from the unhealthy diet of Malaysians to a more plant-based diet. “Our farm sells organic produce, and our vendors are doing artisanal food, which fits the idea of ‘slow food’ movement, quite the opposite to fast-food,” Parry added. <br /><br />Johor Green’s edible park is a “hub for organic produce, and we also have a platform for people to knowledge share, which I think is great for urban citizens,” Parry said. The farm also holds nature classes, social gatherings, talks and workshops and also a regular farmers’ market. At the farm, people also learn how to make artisanal and heritage food.<br /><br />Johor Green’s farmers’ market is also a place where communities gather and share healthy food values with their children, meet up with friends for a meal and connect with others through food and education. Being centrally located in an urban environment is advantageous for a neighbourhood market."<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-84904364583322969932019-11-06T03:41:00.009-08:002021-06-27T11:56:54.003-07:00PLACEMAKER WEEK ASEAN SERIES<div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D43cIOwy-_U/YMXwykGSEbI/AAAAAAABk5M/49vux29-BFIWiVlzmpLysNygRlJYPrSfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/75210265_2547540825361403_1451588204611239936_n.jpg" /></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;">Chris Parry is the founder of <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Johor Green</a>, a platform focusing on cultivating green urban lifestyles. He also designed and operates <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Medini Green Parks</a>, a pair of urban parks in Johor that include an Edible Park (5 acres), and a <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Heritage Forest</a> (7 acres of urban forest).</p><br />We talk with Chris about his work in the Medini Green Parks. Chris is one of the speakers in the ongoing <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Placemaker Week ASEAN</a>. Tickets are still available, for those keen to attend.<br /><br /><b>Why does Medini Green Parks include 5 acres of edible landscape, and how does it affect the community around it?</b><br /><br />I knew edible landscapes to be a successful idea having lived in New York City, and seeing markets, cafes and food-growing spaces embedded in parks and botanical gardens with regular programming. I also knew that the edible landscapes of my youth — neighbourhood fruit trees and small plantations in Malaysia — were fast disappearing.<br /><br />Edible Park now allows visitors a blend of those two things; direct encounters with our past like heirloom fruit trees and pepper vines, as well as new ideas like edible flowers and organic vegetables farmed in the city. It allows community engagement at our markets, socials and workshops; is a resource for sustainable ingredients; and a platform for chefs and artisanal food makers.<br /><br /><b>How did you plan for the landscaping of the Heritage Forest?<br /></b><br />I’m influenced by <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Piet Oudolf</a>‘s work which combines native plant choices and a ‘wild’ planting style to evoke natural landscapes and a site’s ecological history. It’s different from the design of our parks and gardens which are usually manicured beds and lawns.<br /><br />The site itself suggested some ideas, with a hill slope for wildflowers and stream side planting. I laid out areas like a <i>perfume forest </i>and a <i>healing forest </i>that showcase local flora and the ethnobotanic connections our various communities have with these plants.<br /><br />The design strategy was also to create content for tours and workshops, which we could use to engage the community.<br /><br /><b>How does the environment have an impact on mental health?<br /></b><br />There is a lot of emerging science about the effects of exposure to nature, from simply de-stressing to reduction of early onset dementia. There is an ‘attention restoration theory’ that asserts that spending time in nature provides measurable benefits to cognitive function.<br /><br />Providing a nature-based escape can help an urbanite deal with negative impacts of city life, which are both social and environmental, and include increased anxiety, risk of psychosis, sleep impairment, and depression. Exercising and learning in outdoor environments also yield better outcomes.<br /><br />I<b>n your essay, <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.com/2019/08/eat-your-landscae.html">Eat Your Landscape</a>, you discuss the issue of food sovereignty over food security in our local context. Are we really losing touch with our food sovereignty? Is this a question of class divide in food consumption?</b><br /><br />The cultural influence and corporate reach of globalisation has fundamentally changed supply and demand in our food systems. Our urban environments now reflect this with fast food and convenience stores filled with unhealthy snacks replacing our traditional food supply of sundry stores, wet markets and warungs.<br /><br />Our health outcomes are proof of the huge problem this has become. Malaysians are increasingly overweight. Malaysian children are both obese and malnourished at the same time. The top ten reasons we die include factors related to lifestyle and food. The global phenomenon is that lower income classes are primary targets for fast food consumption. Food corporations utilise advertising; addictive combinations of fat, sugar, and salt; and property ownership in dense city centres to secure their custom.<br /><br />Here in Malaysia, the working middle class are similarly trapped in urban environments that don’t provide the healthier options that our heritage foods once did.<br /><br /><b>Are there issues raised in conversations regarding the climate crisis that placemakers in Southeast Asia should keep in mind?<br /></b><br />Large corporations and malls drive the embedded values and outcomes of high consumption, and the waste and energy costs it generates in our cities. Placemakers must consider providing opportunities for alternative narratives and behaviours to impact the climate crisis. Hugely important is refrigerant management, and in South East Asia this means air-conditioning.<br /><br />Outdoor activities, walkable cities, and green spaces become important solutions, as do alternatives based on experiences to replace lifestyles based on product consumerism.<br /><br /><i>Chris Parry is one of the speakers at the inaugural <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#">Placemaker Week ASEAN</a>, 4–8 Nov 2019.</i></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://thecitymaker.com.my/chris-parry-environment-cultivation-consumption/">PLACEMAKER WEEK ASEAN SERIES: Chris Parry on environment, cultivation and consumption</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-47363984970159648042019-08-15T19:55:00.003-07:002019-08-15T19:56:54.526-07:00Three Pavillions<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Architecture Malaysia Issue 1 | 2019</span></div>
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Edible Park is a five acre edible landscape and platform for cultivating community around sustainable living values situated in the business district of Medini City, Iskandar Puteri. It is part of a larger initiative of a series of boutique urban parks titled Medini Green Parks, designed around sustainable principles and current thinking in urban green space.</div>
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Two pavillion buildings, the Studio and Cafe, designed by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/y.architects/?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCZ7hKThuTgy7n3G0fnkLRhV57t7_Z_8YQnO7uFD3o7J0VWDGlM-mlMZTcbS8VBJDvuuH69jwnnw8WP91q0f5vq1G_lCJ-W5ODPqGgY8Szu4YX20wgTn1qyzx9LYXOD2iEJkSG3aY6hkaYHAO4T6TTHLcKfG_bGnoq6q6FUEbCJaDcfu2_UCbif1II-IxJVH_8_pLD-4HpSQpZwlOuNzllrEZpFylTUtmuLTv-6Ynb5euJSIzbsfaR5vi4_2OoLcd5CgRDZR8N8RWO8pSwiBVVmsCvjK3dDTWq797kbGbUWjJaycjsWwGEqUwN9bbUX9ulTDIeT23fczQRUj2sOuvWGeSvng9dx_UJ4-roeQaAHc5MOFRV8pZJKGW3ryem5Z8YjrHL3uxJZ0DD8upEpXq15e7ET2ayp-64srue9ge-uiLH80xayxHBintc4Vj0ULftA0DvBcpbvn4RcxrypgvSe-Hk&__xts__%5B1%5D=68.ARCEbWxUQBkuRt9C8SpCzUD2U3bBYuMV501oLLSa9Chlc3HKnuPU6drYyjT6I9QqQvi5l1E39CkgZP6F1AbUwWrlg3gRnoarQcmDgsr4SpqHyYoPQSAkuZvFpk7iIbu14PYuxHkHtSiaQp2L0Uj_9uf-YSxkjpcWzzcqIofm41Z6CWR-7ikwHKCpMQ-Vrs8AFtCQONmG-Yz7e90GMucm-JicpYywvCzl5LIfZwzleK-Et8Z4NjJGgOnXBBJcF9vtYEbZqtgcozuTQ7x3CbEuIu2u2XXFNlAOtPkaQMooeN2y__0f3q5oU3GrzNMk51Pe73is-fd7iWgqkbuFaliprcGsDv_DBafqiu2eortJALGgqQA1LoDCF07fBGGFTG30yG1YpO8KHfXK2EE_Wvmdc7bLv1Qu-iJpqaQljIEoDtr_3f-bgjHF8UYYlR9RTBARAIVRgXMXXeajIcH_YJEt9j8v4Zo&__tn__=K-R&eid=ARBkQrw8gL-j6gXPyBKOKgybtYYxnUPh3_7Szg5ComXHs_k_nOSb-z8fS-WsP_XtYbr1W2LrVjz3fQBI&fref=mentions">Y.architects</a>, anchor the site inspired by the tropical umbrella with deep overhangs on angled ribs that reach out from the core structures. The buildings are designed to accommodate the place making activities of social enterprise JOGreen who harness the venue to develop community around new ideas of sustainable living, zero waste management, green entrepreneurship and farm to table dining.<br />
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“Climate place and time”, underlies y.architects’ approach with all their work, which resonates with this project’s primary mission to bring people back outside to spend time in nature. Airy and porous, the pavillions deeply connected with the landscaping that climb and circle the structures, provide shade and refuge yet never disconnects the visitors experience with the natural environment that surrounds them. The landscape design by Chris Parry both intertwines with the buildings and provides the content for the parks narrative of ‘edible’ incorporating a wide array of edible roots, shoots, herbs, flowers and foliage curated into an assortment of edible landscapes: groves, orchards, flower gardens, farm and patios.<br />
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Informed by the vernacular of local heritage tropical buildings, the buildings assume contemporary modernity in their material and aesthetic choices of prefabricated steel, stencilled concrete floors and walls that double up as chalkboards for wall murals and cafe menus. The space quickly transforms with roll down blinds, pop up tents and folding chairs to accommodate inclement weather and the swell of visitors on market days and festivals. Fan cooling, rainwater harvesting, LED lighting and solar lit pathways add to the visitors immersion in sustainable features.<br />
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The Studio, stands on a low hill with a tower rising out of a flower garden adding to its prominence and visibility from the road circling the site. It’s skeletal nature of metal frame with a skin of wire mesh feels light and sketched into the landscape its volume shifting over time as the creepers mature and flower. Yoga, soap making and nature classes for kids, talks, forums and dance performances are some of the ways this pavilion comes to life.<br />
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More nested, almost hidden in tall vegetation of sugar cane, bamboos and ginger plants, the Cafe’s overhangs are further enhanced with a fabric canopy at the front and shade structure at the back. A farm stand with produce from the park’s one acre urban farm and plant based cafe fare are available at weekends with the offering amplified every first Saturday of the month with an additional twenty or so vendors who bring more local, organic, artisanal and handmade offerings.<br />
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The site includes a recently completed third building: a washroom, its upturned roof housing a rainwater harvest tank to be hidden by climbers set in a citrus grove and planting selected for fragrance. There are also three small expandable market structures with planted green roofs that line the front of the park expanding the venue space when there are festivals, and a small nursery structure that services the farm. All of the above echo the same architectural language of light frames integrated into the planted landscape.<br />
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The park has since its launch in March 2018 quickly captured the interest of an emerging demographic of this new city, a vibrant mix of locals, expatriates, part and full time Singaporeans, tourists and new arrivals from other parts of Malaysia who have found work or homes in this ambitious development. This is not only visitors but also vendors and enterprises that partner in the parks activities.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Medini Iskandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd ("MIM") is the<br />master planner and master developer of the<br />2,230-acre urban township Medini, located in the<br />Central Business District of Iskandar Puteri is<br />managing and maintaining the Medini Edible Park.<br /><br />Iskandar Puteri City council (MBIP) is the local<br />authority which administrates Iskandar Puteri City in<br />Johor, Malaysia. MBIP is currently the land owner of<br />Medini Edible Park.<br /><br />labDNA is the place-making consultant for Iskandar<br />Puteri, which strategizes the urban development of<br />public realm and help build communities through<br />tactical alliances and programming.<br /><br />JOGREEN is a social enterprise focussed on<br />cultivating a green and sustainable urban lifestyle.<br />They currently operate the Edible Park as an edible<br />landscape and platform for cultivating community<br />around innovative ideas of sustainable living.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-66272397240591136792019-08-15T18:51:00.001-07:002019-08-15T19:45:33.348-07:00Eat Your Landscape<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 0.75pt;">
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<b><i>“Breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” Henry Thoreau</i></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Introduction</span></b><br />
Eating, and drinking has been inextricably tied to the bounty of the landscape around us since time immemorial. We hunted and gathered from streams and forests then we ploughed fields and pastured animals. Our prowess at agriculture and husbandry, our mastery of fire and fermentation would change yields, palatability and storage life but not the essential ecological relationship that bound us with the natural world. <br />
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That did not breach until industrialisation and its global expansion facilitated changes that would redefine how we eat. Factory farming would make what was once scarce - the dense nutrition of meat and dairy, more easily available and we no longer needed to wait for the dictate of seasons or suffer the limits of geography to enjoy eating whatever, whenever and cheaply. Global sourcing, economies of scale and the abuse of an invisible labour force allowed for a defining feature of modern food, cheap prices.<br />
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As the consequences of these changes became apparent, diminishing flavour, poor nutrition, failing health and the new cultural phenomena of eating fast food alone in a car or in front of a TV, it triggered a civil society response on both sides of the Atlantic that would evolve into a full fledged food movement, joining other great social movements of the 20th Century - labour, environment, civil rights, climate and feminist. <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Food Movement Emerges</span></b><br />
It was American landscape designer, Rosalind Creasy who coined the term <i>edible landscape</i> back in 1982 with her book ‘The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping’ and gave a name to the repurposing of idle 20th century suburban lawns back to Victorian era kitchen gardens. People were rediscovering the joys of fresh, heirloom produce grown in their own back yard.<br />
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Around the same time in Europe, a <i>slow food</i> movement born out of protest against the arrival of McDonald’s in Rome, urged the preservation of local food traditions and renewed appreciation of the culinary artisan’s toil and craft. This was echoed back in the USA as the <i>eat local</i> movement championed local food grown within a hundred mile radius rationalizing that the shorter distances travelled guaranteed more flavour, nutrition and less impact on the environment in terms of carbon miles.<br />
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In 1996, Alice Walters transformed a vacant school lot near her famous restaurant in Berkeley into an organic garden. Whilst her intent was to reconnect school children with the idea of fresh nutritious food and teach them how to grow it, she was also shining a light on something new, the social injustice of low income families, having poor access to fresh food. Her <i>edible schoolyard</i> was the only source of fresh produce in their immediate urban landscape crowded out by fast food corporations who had begun to dominate the neighbourhood.<br />
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Michael Pollan’s investigative revelations in <i>The Omnivore’s Dilemna</i> in 2006 revealed even more sinister mechanisms of food and agriculture corporations and what he described as ‘industrial’ eating. Ingredients your grandmother would not recognize, without names only numbers, synthesized into ‘food like substances’ prioritizing high amounts of sugar, salt and fats that are able to create a psychological dependence on them. Studies since then continue to show the powerful connection between industrial food and their link to the epidemic of obesity and diabetes globally.<br />
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Along this timeline many other grassroot initiatives like animal rights, climate change justice and resistance against genetically modified foods would braid together into a movement of movements. New terminology would arise to describe problems and solutions like <i>locavores, zero waste, food justice, artisanal.</i> Fractious as the ideas are, the desire for an energy and health conscious, smaller-scale, more humane food system can be identified as the core shared values of this new food movement.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Malaysian Context</span></b><br />
Here in Malaysia triggered by concerns of toxicity and food safety <i>grow your own food</i> has gained momentum. Green markets are enjoying popularity as urban folk seek out organic produce from farmers utilising sustainable methods. But there are still more ideas from the bigger tent of the food movement that have yet to gain ground. There are also philosophic underpinnings to the movement that have yet to translate into our own cultural context.<br />
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For example, I often hear the term <i>food security</i> used to describe imminent threat to our food system but it is not an accurate take on our local situation. Yes we are seeing the beginnings of the problem as neighbourhoods get colonized by fast food chains and hypermarkets displace our sundry stores, food stalls and traditional wet markets. But we have yet to see the desiccation of neighbourhoods into food deserts where no fresh food is available at all or the complete disappearance of local agricultural systems. <br />
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Our real issue here is <i>food sovereignty</i> which relates to the cultural aspect of heritage food systems. It is actually what precedes a food security problem when local culture and neighbourhoods become overwhelmed with globalized ideas about food and lose ground to the economic power of the corporations that colonize these urban landscapes. <br />
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We’ve traded a heritage of complex recipes full of locally sourced ingredients many exhibiting reparative and even medicinal properties to one of limited non native ingredients that actually cause harm. The nutritional wisdom embedded in heritage foods like noodles in collagen rich bone broths and the complex plant based offerings on a banana leaf are in stiff competition with burgers, chicken slime nuggets and super foods with incredulous nutritional powers. It doesn’t help also that we are awash with conflicting information about food as new studies declare new villains and heroes every week. <br />
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It's an abstract idea to grasp but the food we choose to eat can be acts of land conservation. What was once pictured as our native landscape of coconut trees, pineapple farms and kelongs is fast disappearing from view. The coconut milk we buy comes from coconuts grown in Batam the barren sand filled Straits devoid of kelongs and the few remaining pineapple farms far from view of our new highways. I hear from friends who once owned fruit orchards that they have converted them to palm oil because of higher returns and lower management costs which demonstrates the simple economics of what is happening here - as we change our tastes and values away from our heritage and geography, we also change the views of landscape that we once enjoyed.<br />
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As we shift our taste for produce that can only grow in the cooler climes of Cameron Highlands and want it cheap as well, we adversely affect the local communities there who suffer flooding as a direct result of deforestation. Hidden in those farms are also illegal immigrant farm workers deprived of lawful protection of their rights and proper protection from chemical exposure. If cheap food is blind to the inhumane treatment of humans, animals are even further back in line. Ideas of social justice, that what we eat should not impact marginalized communities and other living beings has sadly not found sufficient articulation here yet.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Delicious Revolution</span></b><br />
My interest in detailing the concepts and ideas about the food movement is biased as I have been involved in conceptualizing and designing a 4 acre Edible Park in Medini, Iskandar Puteri as part of their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/medinigreenparks/">Medini Green Parks</a> initiative that will be a showcase for green and sustainable urban living. When open in December 2017 the social enterprise I founded JOGreen will run it as a platform for individuals and entrepreneurs working in the front lines of the food movement to engage with the general public. <br />
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<i>Eat your landscape</i> will be its central mission as we provide an immersive environment in a sustainably managed edible landscape replete with orchards, gardens, an organic urban farm servicing the local neighbourhood, a plant based cafe and a studio space where all kinds of edible related skills can be learned from composting to sustainable cooking.<br />
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Alice Waters described the food movement as a delicious revolution and it is this spirit that I am most keen to cultivate here, not just the pragmatics of growing food but also the community, identity, pleasure, and its potential as a new social and economic space. Yes, gardening and growing your own food these days can be acts of environmental activism and civic rebellion against corporate food and agriculture but gardeners and farmers are also really nice people who love what they do and are happy to share cuttings and advice. <br />
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The green markets we have been running, which we will bring to the park, are also social spaces where you are not just a customer but an expat, a parent, a cook talking to a farmer, a baker or a gardener, and having ten times as many conversations as you would at a supermarket. Building an inclusive vibrant community around these ideas are also primary to our aims.<br />
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We are collaborating with local chefs, providing them with our herbs, flowers, salad greens and harder to find vegetables because we want to harness their creative energy to showcase our sustainably grown local produce. Our gardens have interesting design ideas from monochromatic colour schemes to exuberant cottage garden style profuse with flowers in the hope of seducing our visitors to take those ideas home to their own gardens.<br />
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Creativity and aesthetics are the secret ingredient in making edible landscapes desirable and aspirational and help you forget the drudge of all that digging and weeding and slaving in the hot sun. Innovation is also an energy we want to harness around ideas gaining popularity like botanic beverages, plant and insect based alternative proteins and flowers as a new food ingredient.<br />
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The food movement is rising, the revolution is here. Come share our table outside in the fresh air, eat the fruits of our labour, drink our flower infused beverages, and resign yourself to the influence of our Malaysian landscape.<br />
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<b><i>Chris Parry</i></b><br />
Originally published in <b><i>Kool</i></b>, the official journal to <i>Iskarnival Kool</i>, Nov 2017Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-35665493864530350132019-03-05T05:55:00.001-08:002019-03-05T05:55:21.062-08:00Green F & B at Zureli Green talks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/zureliecosearch/videos/462296697619192/">Green Talks with F&B @ Sunway Iskandar</a> Talk starts at 14.50Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-90109885131615676652019-01-03T18:29:00.000-08:002019-12-28T18:32:36.653-08:00Bingkisan Edible Park<iframe width="600" height="338" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lGYvrNpUU6c" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-91391367890428289472018-12-19T20:03:00.002-08:002018-12-19T20:06:16.145-08:00Workshop and Classes at Edible Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rab3CM8rEok/XBsTQxCSCGI/AAAAAAABJpg/ngtc-PJbOJI1ptwXfYn_9kh2XDZ4cI2MwCLcBGAs/s1600/48058863_2192349364142536_6869384265319055360_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rab3CM8rEok/XBsTQxCSCGI/AAAAAAABJpg/ngtc-PJbOJI1ptwXfYn_9kh2XDZ4cI2MwCLcBGAs/s640/48058863_2192349364142536_6869384265319055360_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><b>Free workshops and classes at Edible Park</b></b></div>
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Nature Class:</b> Every Friday Morning. Whilst enjoying the outdoors, collecting materials and investigating the natural world, kids are encouraged through science, art and crafts and creative play, to learn about and make important connections with nature. A regular Friday morning class at our Garden Studio for kids that is hands on and involves their exploration of our natural surroundings. Recommended ages: 4-10 Admission is free. <br />
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<b>Sustainablity Sessions:</b> Saturday mornings we hold a social and knowledge sharing session on topics that can provide skills and insights into living sustainability. We will bring many sustainable concepts into real life context like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/zerowaste">#zerowaste</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/locavore">#locavore</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/slowfood">#slowfood</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/growyourownfood">#growyourownfood</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/chemicalfree">#chemicalfree</a><br />
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We will have facilitators that will help us revisit lost domestic skills, learn local and heritage wisdoms and guide us through more advanced ideas like fermentation, horticulture and soap making. <br />
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We combine this with plenty of information to help us understand the science and culture behind natural and alternative methods whilst also remembering that when we add fun, creativity and sociability we turn chores into the art of living. <br />
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Come indulge your curiosity and creativity, enhance your life skills and make some new friends! Suitable for adults of all ages and we have plenty of room for young kids to play and older ones can participate with parental supervision.</div>
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Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/medinigreenparks/events"><b>full details on their events page</b></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-48537840130837557352018-06-16T22:17:00.002-07:002018-06-16T22:17:44.879-07:00Durian Guesthouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thai Soon and wife Isly, own <a href="https://www.facebook.com/durianguesthouse/">Durian Guesthouse 流連宿</a>where they provide a rustic, homestead experience in a traditional Chinese Village house for guests looking for a break from a busy urban existence that they themselves decided to leave in 2015 when they started on this venture. <div>
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They grow a range of produce that they sell fresh, pickled or preserved at our green markets or prepare in meals for they're guests. <div>
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Isly also has her own line of handmade goods<a href="https://www.facebook.com/islyly/?hc_ref=ARQ82yfdEKsmoiYU4t8sMe2o4VaN9AC3QQC4rBnflnd0cU7KxxBI8HKLXgfJKS1evN8&fref=nf"> ISLYLY</a> which she sells alongside their range of Durian Guesthouse products at the monthly Green U market. Thai Soon also consults as the farm manager at Edible Park.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-80336366025614678202018-03-12T19:40:00.000-07:002018-12-19T19:47:24.435-08:00A Greener Idyll <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2018/03/344294/greener-idyll"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Greener Idyll </span></b></a><br />
By Intan Maizura Ahmad Kamal - March 12, 2018<br />
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“The cemetery? You mean that cemetery flower can be eaten?” My sceptical exclamation is met with an enthusiastic nod by the rather dashing gentleman standing next to me. Pointing to what looks like a frangipani tree just in front of us, Chris Parry, the founder of Johor Green, a not for profit organisation focused on sustainability, explains that the Thais actually coat the flowers of the Plumeria plant in flour and fry them. “Like a tempura. In fact, you’ll be surprised that there are so many things around us that can actually be eaten. See that pretty yellow shrub there? That’s a Senna plant. The buds can be pickled or used in soups.”<br />
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The former New York-based graphic artist and textile designer with a passion for botany and gardening is the man behind this Edible Park that I’m visiting today and the recently-concluded Iskandar Puteri Green: Edible Festival in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, a collaboration between Medini Iskandar Malaysia and Parry’s Johor Green or JO Green, as he wants it to be known. A social enterprise with a concern for green issues, JO Green’s main objectives are to inform, inspire, connect and encourage more people to embrace a social path to a greener Johor.<br />
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Touted as the biggest green living event to be held in Iskandar Puteri, the idea behind the festival was simple — to inspire individuals to make sustainable choices so that positive outcomes can be attained with regards to health and the environment. “The garden can be a source of food, medicine, sanctuary and inspiration,” adds Parry, emphatically, before beckoning me to follow him on a tour of the 2ha Edible Park, an impressive edible landscape complete with a simple workshop studio, plant-based cafe, designed gardens and orchards.<br />
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The idea is to build a community that revolves around the subject of food. We want to show people that sustainable living isn’t impossible,” he says before stopping to point towards a piece of land just across the road from where we are that appears to be taking shape as a green sanctuary of sorts.<br />
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“That’s also part of the Medini Green Parks development, which comprises two components — the ‘edible’ and ‘heritage’ components. That one is the Heritage Forest. We’ll have local, native and regional flora that will offer a snapshot of Johor’s wilderness and biodiversity.” The Edible Park and Heritage Forest are two out of 46 parks in Medini, a 902ha integrated urban township development.<br />
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Smiling, he adds: “You know, it’s actually quite a Malay thing to forage for food. Think pucuk paku, ulam ulam... and now it’s become quite a hipster thing just like in New York!”<br />
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With the sky a canvas of sombre grey, signalling an impending storm, we hasten our steps to take in the rest of the lush urban Park. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to not stop every once in a while as my attention is piqued by the sight of certain plants and blooms. “Oooh is that chillies? But why is it that colour? And so stunted?” And with every query, I show myself up to be the typical urban dweller completely unfamiliar with the natural world.<br />
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But Parry is kind. Instead of admonishing me, he chortles with mirth before reassuring me: “Don’t worry. You tell me how many people can actually identify what they see growing around them these days?” Bending his tall frame down for a better look, he proceeds to patiently explain to me that the ‘stunted chilli with the funny colour’ isn’t actually a chilli but a type of eggplant. Right.<br />
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He chuckles good-naturedly at my embarrassed expression as we continue with our stroll. Coming to yet another halt, Parry explains that what we’re seeing is a complex layered landscape, which combines biodiversity, food and entertainment. Visions of Kedondong trees (Spondias dulcis), Belimbing (from the genus Averrhoa), mango and several varieties of basil accost my vision in a pleasant blur. “We can play it a few different ways here. And that’s what we want. We’re funded to run programmes here. I just completed an edible flower workshop earlier today. Last week it was on basic soil science. We have a few people with different skills who’ll be conducting various classes for the community. Some have their own farms or homesteads; we also have entrepreneurs who are cooks. the list goes on,” elaborates Parry.<br />
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I duly learn that Parry meticulously selected the vegetation in this edible landscape, with emphasis on those plants and trees whose parts can serve various functions. “We want to be able to make use of every part of the plant, from the buds to the leaves, not only for cooking but also for food decorating. Flowers make great decorations for food. You see how a lot of artisanal cafes these days are using the blue pea flower (clitoria ternatea) in drinks and to decorate their cakes? And then there’s the basil flower. It has an intense smell and goes well in baked products.”<br />
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The Park, continues Parry, his eyes lighting with pride under his glasses, is rich in content. “When you’re here and you start seeing and smelling stuff, your brain goes to a different plane. And that’s what we want — to engage.”<br />
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<b><br />A greener past</b><br />
His speech eloquent and mannerisms befitting an English gent, I’m curious to know more about Parry’s background. He duly obliges as we take a seat under the shade of his makeshift ‘studio’ located at the end of a winding path and on a raised mound overlooking a sweeping panorama of the Park.<br />
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“I was born in Johor Baru to civil servants parents,” begins the 61-year-old, his voice low. “I lived on Jalan Skudai right across from the Straits. We used to go to Lido Beach every weekend to swim and our house, a wooden colonial-style government quarters was actually one padang (field) away from the English college. My neighbour was the masonic lodge and the caretaker’s children were my friends. I remember we used to run around in that compound which was full of fruit trees.”<br />
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Growing up, it was just natural to be mindful of the environment, says Parry. “The caretaker’s family had chicken and geese. They grew vegetables and we had fruit trees. And everyone grew serai (lemongrass) and pandan (screwpine). You might have a jambu tree and your neighbour might have mango. And we’d swop. No one ever went and bought fruit.”<br />
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Their supply of fish, which they’d get fresh every few days, recalls Parry, came from the Straits. “You know, all of these things are actually what we aspire to in our quest for sustainable living today. Personally, I think I’m really lucky to know what that means,” he muses aloud.Suffice to say, if Parry can turn back the clock, he would. His sigh heavy, he laments: “Those were the days when you could actually see trees that bore fruit and people selling their orchard products by the roadside. All this movement is disappearing. I think that’s why I’m so interested to do this because I just want to hold on to the shirt tail. It concerns me that people have just moved in this other direction. They just want to eat pizza and Korean fried chicken and Japanese Teriyaki!”<br />
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The affable conservationist pursued his 6th form education in the UK before going on to do his Economics degree at Loughborough University. Although creatively-inclined, his parents persuaded him to follow the path well-trodden — as was the norm for Asian parents back then.<br />
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Chuckling, Parry recalls: “I then kind of half lied and said I was going to do Chartered Accountancy. When I turned 21, I did an about turn and went to work for a fashion company instead! It was just a boutique and it wasn’t long before I became a manager and started designing the window. Soon after, I graduated to the position of ‘buyer’ and then I left to start my own line.”<br />
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He did that for a while in London before moving to the Big Apple where he worked for a big company. “I wanted a different experience. I became a designer and subsequently a creative director, working at Claiborne, Levi Strauss and Perry Ellis as consultant design director.”<br />
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When he opted to go it alone as a freelancer, Parry worked independently as a graphic artist servicing design teams. His brows furrowing, he recalls: “The business of design was so big then. Design studios bought inspiration from others because they had to design things ahead of time. I was selling ideas in the form of art work. I did that for a while and occasionally I’d return to doing some consultancy just for the pay. But I left eventually because I really didn’t want to work for big corporations anymore.”<br />
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He continued to do his consultancy work even upon his return to the country. And then? “I got sucked into this landscape stuff!” says Parry, chuckling good-naturedly. On how he got the ‘gig’ to design parks, Parry confides: “I told the folks at Khazanah Nasional Bhd that Iskandar Puteri should be about great landscapes. I suggested to them that we should develop a couple of parks with a very strong sense of concept of landscape.”<br />
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Adding, he recalls: “I remember reminding them that we’re really quite different from Singapore. Singapore is running out of landscape; they really have no more land. We still have plenty. And I said that our green spaces should be very much a part of our development.”<br />
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Now that he’s got his wish, what next, I tease. Eyes dancing mischievously, Parry retorts: “I’m done! I’m going back to designing textiles! Batik maybe. This has been such a push doing this. The road has been two years long!”<br />
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But you’re leaving a legacy, no? A pause and then Parry replies: “Well, that’s true! And it’s quite a privilege to get to do this. There’s this Greek proverb that says, “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Well, it’s not true in my case. I’m going to get the chance to sit under the shade of quite a few trees I think!”.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">intanm@nst.com.my</a><br />
Photos by Little Miss Granola, Intan Nazira Nazri and courtesy of Medini Iskandar Malaysia<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-70640130699824600682017-09-05T20:35:00.001-07:002017-10-15T17:50:45.588-07:00JB Heritage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Hao Wei</i></b> is a self employed private tutor who also organizes weekend tours <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jbheritagewalk/">JB Heritage Walk</a> as a community building social enterprise celebrating heritage in Johor Bahru city center. He will develop and run a '<i>Green Heritage</i>' tour at Heritage Forest navigating visitors through the cultural and heritage relevance of the trees and plants in the park. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-29403936795753301082017-09-05T20:22:00.000-07:002019-10-25T08:21:16.006-07:00Green U<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Akata Yang</i> has a background in retail running an organic shop and is the founder and organizer of <b><i> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreenUmarket/">Green U Market</a></i></b>. held monthly at Edible Park. He also runs <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nimoeco/"><i><b>Green U Leisure</b></i></a><span id="goog_1425637195"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1425637196"></span> - an Eco Leisure and Adventure tour operation.<br />
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He has been a partner with <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.my/2017/09/jogreen.html">JOGreen</a> in organizing the Johor Green Markets which will grow to include managing events at both Edible Park and Heritage Forest with a primary focus on community building and coordinating the enterprises that will be using the parks as a hub for sustainable local produce and artisanal food.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-19462231881987467352017-09-05T20:06:00.000-07:002018-03-10T07:57:10.732-08:00Bakers Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Sharina Ali</i> grew up in a household where all the ladies are great bakers and trained with a food R&D company in Spore. After coming back to JB she saw a niche market in real cakes using real ingredients which she favoured being a mother of 2 who wanted her kids to eat better quality baked goods free of artificial colourings, fondants and emulsifiers.<br />
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She is a regular at our green markets increasingly incorporating local ingredients into her bakes like tapai, cempedak, roselle flowers and many more. She recently opened <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bakersgardenjohor/">Bakers Garden</a> in Taman Eko Botani, IP. Her products will be available at the cafe at <i>Edible Park on Saturdays</i>, which will have a 'plant based' and 'farm to table' concept.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-78377237923906232732017-09-03T00:53:00.002-07:002021-06-13T04:54:39.520-07:00JOGREEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6n49Lu559D8/WauwpkPLN8I/AAAAAAAA308/fuQ0QBuqZoAzKsOgNCzukeAFPeETYm0rQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-09-03%2Bat%2B2.58.37%2BPM.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6n49Lu559D8/WauwpkPLN8I/AAAAAAAA308/fuQ0QBuqZoAzKsOgNCzukeAFPeETYm0rQCLcBGAs/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2017-09-03%2Bat%2B2.58.37%2BPM.png" width="310" /></a></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jogreenenterprise">JOGREEN Enterprise</a> runs the #johorgreen platform which is focussed on cultivating a green and sustainable urban lifestyle. <br />
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We previously managed <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.my/2017/07/medini-green-parks.html">Medini Green Parks</a> in partnership with Medini Iskandar providing year round programming while also nurturing enterprises and community around sustainability and green values.<br /><br />
Founder <i>Chris Parry</i> previously worked as a design director and graphic artist in the US. He started <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johorgreen/">Johor Green</a> with an interest in cultivating ideas about sustainablity in Johor from an aspirational lifestyle view point. This evolved into the setting up of JOGREEN as a social enterprise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-30565973561207834232017-07-27T21:45:00.006-07:002023-06-13T20:17:03.459-07:00Medini Green Parks<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cZwosJo_GTo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/jogreenenterprise/">JOGREEN Enterprise</a> designed, <span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">developed, managed and programmed </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/medinigreenparks/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Medini Green Parks</a> from end 2017 to July 2020 comprising:<div><br /><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b>Edible Park</b>: "</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> A 5 acre</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> edible landscape and platform for cultivating community around current ideas of food and sustainability" and </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b>Heritage Forest</b>: 'A </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">7 acre </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">wild landscape providing an escape in the city while showcasing our local botanic heritage and re establishing biodiversity and eco services'.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Awards :</b></span></div><b>2017</b><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"> Green Champion Award in two categories: “Emerging Green City” and “Smart and Green Infrastructure: Greenfield Development”</a>at Institute of Parks and Recreation Singapore and World Urban Parks partnered Conference</div><div><br /><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"><b>2018</b> Green Initiatives Award from Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia </a><br /><br /><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"><b>2018</b> Planning Excellence Award from the Malaysian Institute of Planners Planning<br /></a><br /><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/#"><br /></a><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/medinigreenparks">@medinigreenparks </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/medinigreenparks/"><complete id="goog_1762449137"> </complete>#medinigreenparks</a></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-75589134649115130122017-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:002017-07-27T21:31:17.013-07:00Workshops at Green Markets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We hold workshops at our Green Markets ( follow our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/johorgreen/events/">events page</a> to find out when they are) that promote local products, arts and crafts, gardening and more that promote sustainable lifestyles. Check out lists of our previous ones<a href="https://www.facebook.com/johorgreen/notes/"> here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-20731218590188636832016-07-07T04:30:00.003-07:002016-07-07T07:14:47.055-07:00Uber<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://get.uber.com/">Uber</a> are connecting private riders to users with a slick smart phone app.<br />
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Now getting quite established in Johor Bahru as more drivers enter the pool, their aggressive pricing makes them one of the cheapest transport options by car available locally.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-84837177574553662142016-07-07T03:59:00.000-07:002016-07-07T04:00:46.262-07:00Era Sarikan Salvage Building Materials<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wR7Aem55kH8/V34zrDnlo9I/AAAAAAAAjMY/LC563fS2JlAEqjiwCZ6Y2MEDNbuwmhv-gCLcB/s1600/P_20160705_155547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vD89BneXq2M/V34zpVFbJZI/AAAAAAAAjMI/GpX0Afngi5QtbcpPU5MhMd55phRv2djTgCLcB/s1600/P_20160705_155335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vD89BneXq2M/V34zpVFbJZI/AAAAAAAAjMI/GpX0Afngi5QtbcpPU5MhMd55phRv2djTgCLcB/s640/P_20160705_155335.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<i><b>Era Sarikan Hardware Enterpise</b></i> is a salvage resource for used timber, doors, windows, glass, zinc and metal grills. Less expensive than new and often with the advantage of being slightly higher quality.<br />
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Located at:<br />
No. 2 Jalan Besar, Kg Ulu PUlai, 81550 Gelang Patah, Johor.<br />
012 770, 014 7758122<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-42635165052471198002016-04-05T09:06:00.001-07:002016-04-05T19:23:52.735-07:00Sangkaya<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dairy milk products like ice cream are one of the least environmentally friendly foods we can consume with the added complication of inhumane conditions for the animals used. Local Malaysian company <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sangkaya">Sangkaya</a> easily navigates around those issues with their delicious coconut milk based offerings, now being served in their new shops in Johor Bahru - one on Jalan Dhoby and a new one in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sangkayamountaustin/?fref=ts">Mount Austin</a>.<br />
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In a perfect world, those coconuts would also be locally sourced - they're currently from Thailand but the owners <a href="http://www.themalaymailonline.com/eat-drink/article/heres-the-scoop-on-sangkaya-coconut-ice-cream...-resistance-is-futile">say they want to</a> eventually source their main ingredient from their own local plantations. Its a small gripe in context of what they are supporting: non dairy, fairly locally sourced, all local Malaysian staff - and of course it champions a classic local ingredient - coconut.<br />
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We love their contemporary, innovative, local centric and sustainable direction - so if you want a relatively guilt free indulgence we recommend them as the best and most sustainable choice in an exploding artisanal ice cream scene in the city.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-27997076497377547102015-12-15T09:37:00.000-08:002016-04-29T09:44:40.267-07:00Holiday Forest at Mall of Medini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">"The Frozen Forest created in the circular lobby of the mall, features four photo booths depicting iconic winter landscapes like a frosty morning, pine forest, snow scene and falling snow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">This little girl is feeling the chill on a frosty morning!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">“We want people to engage with the landscape and for kids to understand the seasons,” said Johor Green founder, Chris Parry, who designed the art installations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">While the backdrop scenes were borrowed from the winter landscapes of Hokkaido, Sweden, the United Kingdom and United States, Parry said that all the foliage used in the designs were collected from forests in Johor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">A myriad of tiny, twinkling lights that portray fireflies in the Firefly Forest in the MAP Nusajaya foyer, features an Urban Adventure Showcase with information on local eco adventure destinations."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px;">From <i><a href="http://ppunlimited.blogspot.my/2015/12/winter-is-here-at-mall-of-medini.html">Winter is here at the Mall of Medini</a></i> by Peggy Loh</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-51822812759895525342015-11-22T21:03:00.001-08:002015-11-30T21:38:26.858-08:00Platform Coffee & Homestay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tucked in a regular housing estate in Pekan Nenas is <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Platform-coffee-homestay-228848667279244/timeline">Platform Coffee & Homestay</a>, full of laid back rustic charm. You can stay overnight here or just chillout at the coffee bar and outdoor 'platform' area that looks like a cool surfer shack in Hawaii.<br />
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Coffee is served in handmade ceramic cups ( you can join a workshop to learn how to make one if you stay there) with an assortment of homemade sweet treats. Check out their facebook page to see what movie they're showing that night.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-4784747017290674832015-11-22T20:24:00.001-08:002015-11-22T20:24:17.526-08:00Rowan & Parsley Food Atelier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heO9h-vRT1I/VlKSNnuf2zI/AAAAAAAAbP8/sdAeqnjjiyI/s1600/11249234_970303689680449_2605158516534293717_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heO9h-vRT1I/VlKSNnuf2zI/AAAAAAAAbP8/sdAeqnjjiyI/s640/11249234_970303689680449_2605158516534293717_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ROWAN-PARSLEY-food-atelier-889662207734842/">Rowan and Parsley</a> is set in a gated garden compound where you can see chef <i>Shawn Sum</i> occasionally dash out to harvest herbs and vegetables for his well executed and beautifully plated dishes. Drinks by the bar staff like iced tea infused with mint, lemon and ginger are top notch. <div>
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Owner <i>Sam Soon</i> whose background is in the wedding photography business hence the visual appeal of the space also has a vision to provide a fresh, local twist to their western fare with the use of local ingredients bringing 'plant to table'. The number of plants he is growing keeps increasing as he discovers their suitability for addition to the menu like <i>Peperomia Lucida</i> below.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCA5iFpQNok/VlKT-AsbpQI/AAAAAAAAbQQ/e4Hr5dMM-R4/s1600/11906795_1015849565125861_7690227035012739514_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LCA5iFpQNok/VlKT-AsbpQI/AAAAAAAAbQQ/e4Hr5dMM-R4/s640/11906795_1015849565125861_7690227035012739514_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The space has intimate corners but is large enough for private gatherings. An outstanding addition to the JB food scene.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-88975737428297470542015-10-25T01:31:00.002-07:002015-10-25T01:57:43.118-07:00Green Heritage Workshop at SMKIJ Convent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9zJBXrNbBs/ViyR2-ppgtI/AAAAAAAAZbE/AJ_faAzmbio/s1600/greenheritage_convent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p9zJBXrNbBs/ViyR2-ppgtI/AAAAAAAAZbE/AJ_faAzmbio/s640/greenheritage_convent.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Students from SMKIJ Convent Johor Bahru, pictured above, participate in a 2 hour workshop exploring their relationship with the environment.<br />
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Using <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.my/2013/09/green-heritage-gallery.html">artwork</a> and other material from our <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.my/2013/09/the-japanese-treasure-their-cherry.html">Green Heritage</a> initiative, we engaged these young people on the role of flora and fauna in our environment from the different viewpoints of art, science and culture with a focus on local flora. We also describe the relevance of the natural world to industry and career choices like agriculture, biochemistry and the food/restaurant business. After the talk, students review materials like books, fabrics and plant cuttings and then work on articulating an idea of their own choice by drawing, painting or writing. We then had a feedback session on selected work to appreciate the strength of the idea, how well it was articulated and its creative merit.<br />
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This Green Heritage workshop is part of our <a href="http://johorgreen.blogspot.com/2013/11/green-education.html">Green Education</a> initiative.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714630314266190699.post-69719089283563952922015-10-20T02:51:00.004-07:002021-08-19T09:18:17.686-07:00GREEN CITY<img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nfzvTCrb3sg/ViYOhBhumMI/AAAAAAAAZHY/b0Y1rmQqgb4/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-10-20%2Bat%2B5.48.55%2BPM.png" />
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The city of Johor Bahru, in terms of sustainability is currently a work in progress with both major <a href="https://plus.google.com/collection/oFKFZ">setbacks</a> due to <a href="https://plus.google.com/collection/EYcIe">urbanizatio</a>n as well as promises of better things to come. We will continue to track the increasing provision of better energy, building infrastructure, green spaces and transport resources. Here's <a href="http://www.howgreenismytown.org/pdf/greentownchecklist.pdf">a checklist</a> of considerations that make a city or town green or in our case - a list of aspirations.</div><div><br /></div><div>Read our posts on facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/johorgreencity" target="_blank">#johorgreencity</a></div>
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