Green crusader meets red tape in Singapore

He gets school children around the world to plant trees, but can’t do so in the Garden City
Esther Ng, Today Online 19 Dec 08;

FOR the past two years, Mr Mohammad Tajeran has been cycling around the world, planting trees in each country he visits, to spread the message among the young that we can save the earth from climate change.

“I especially love going to schools and talking to kids. We talk about trees and their importance in our life, and what we individually can do for our planet,” said the 32-year-old mechanical engineer from Iran who quit his job to embark on this mission in December 2006.

“Kids are our future — if they learn how to look after nature then we will have green earth and blue sky.”

But after planting 900 trees across countries such as India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand, Mr Tajeran has hit a roadblock in, ironically, the Garden City of Singapore.

He had planned to plant his tree at a certain primary school in the north-west of Singapore. But yesterday, he was told he could not proceed as he did not apply for permission from the Ministry of Education.

The operations manager of the school told Today that before any plant or tree could be cut down or planted, such approval was necessary.

So unless fate intervenes, it looks like Mr Tajeran would have to leave for Sarawak this Saturday without planting his tree on Singapore soil. In each country that he visits, Mr Tajeran drops by a local school and asks to plant a tree.

This approach had served him well in some countries, but not in Australia or New Zealand where regulations dictated that permission had to be sought. “Thankfully, there are people reading my blog, and somehow things worked out.”

Besides red tape, Mr Tajeran has to contend with a limited purse — he set out with only US$300 ($430), relying on the kindness of strangers to sponsor trees, lodging, food and airfare.

“Getting food and lodging is not a problem. All you have to do is ask, and people will give,” said the Iranian who is staying with a Singaporean here.

Speech therapist Zunaida Rashid said she opened her home to him on account of her good friend in Adelaide, who had called and asked if she would offer her “couch to a total stranger”. She added: “Like most Singaporeans, I was a little bit cynical, but I couldn’t say no to a good friend.”

Most of Mr Tajeran’s accommodation in Australia was found on website www.couchsurfing.com, a Web listing of people offering their homes to host travellers.

Raising money for airfare and visas is tougher, but he gets help by chronicling his adventures and appealing for funds on his blog.

“Sure, I get a little worried when I’m low on finances, but somehow the money comes through. Everywhere I’ve been to, the people are amazing.”

The avid outdoorsman leaves for Sarawak and Sabah on Saturday, then heads to China and South Korea.

He hopes to get a visa to Japan and Canada, and reckons that within five to seven years, he should be able to complete his journey round the world.