Better Days Ahead?

I was thrilled to read in the newspaper that the State government has started to review some of its water agreements with Puncak Niaga in order to save the people their hard-earned money.

My family (6 adults and 3 children) spends about RM150 on water bills monthly and that includes car-washing once every two months. My dad does a bit of gardening (edible vegetables only though), but he only waters the plants if it doesn't rain.

I can't say that frugality runs in the family as I notice that my sisters and brothers-in-law are quite foreign with the concept of resource conservation and worse, the paying of bills! Fans are left full speed when they are off to school/office and washing of a single cup involves a gallon of water.

The same can be said with my mom-in-law, so it is a real challenge when I start my "Save the Environment, Save Your Money" campaign and there she is re-boiling a jug of water which was already warm several minutes before.

It is an uphill struggle, but I suppose with persistence, I should able to work it through.

I should also mention that I was a Greenpeace member during my student days in the UK. These people are really passionate about the environment - which explains why some of them are willing to risk their lives saving redwood forests and whales.

Muslims are also taught not to waste whatever resources and privileges (ni'mat) God has blessed us. I was raised with the believe that those who waste are devil's brethren:

"Lo! the squanderers were ever brothers of
the devils and the devil was ever an ingrate to his
Lord." (17:27)