Green initiatives in Malaysian schools and campuses

Richard Lim, The Star 3 May 09

Shifting priorities and greater awareness among the nation’s future custodians have resulted in a green revolution in schools and campuses.

STRANGER things have happened but it is safe to say that few predicted the wave of “new environmentalism.”

Once misconstrued to be limited to tree huggers or those who go native ala Bruno Manser (who was an environmental activist and champion of the native Penan in Sarawak in the 1990s) eco-awareness has become inclusive following its fuse with retail.

Bling is now passé while green and sustainable are luxe. People craze over organic food and the arrival of hybrid cars in Malaysia should be well-received – given the government’s generous tax rebate.

But while ethical branding may be novel, jeans from Levi’s Eco range which incorporate recycled cotton, biodegradable coconut-shell buttons and a green (not red) tab may be out of reach for most.

One man’s coral

“Although we can’t purchase everything, we, the common people are the ones who can really save the environment,” says Universiti Malaya (UM) marine biologist and lecturer Affendi Yang Amri, 39.

“Many green products are good but overpriced. And frankly, how many can afford them? I’m quite a green person as I work closely with the environment but I’m not rich.”

A specialist in coral reef studies, Affendi teaches coral reef ecology and the science of swimming and diving to his students. An avid researcher, he is often at the local reef hotspots like Pulau Tioman and Pulau Layang-layang.

Affendi constantly elucidates the importance of conserving nature to his students. However, this isn’t easy as not all of them ticked marine biology as their first choice.

“Some students are tough customers but experience has shown me that many fall in love with nature by accident,” he opines.

“I normally show new students photos and slides of underwater life and my diving experiences. Of course, I show the good pictures first!

“I explain more about nature after they’re interested and virtually all my students are surprised that Malaysia’s waters are frequented by pygmy whales, sei whales and dolphins.”

Many of Affendi’s students join him in his research and some even undertake conservation efforts of their own. One of them is currently researching on the damage done to coral reefs – snorkelers and fishing being the main culprits.

“This profession offers a different kind of reward,” says Affendi. “Being able to see nature’s beauty up close is gratifying and the future generation must recognise this, if nature is to be preserved.

Affendi’s thoughts are shared by concerned parents and the SK Bukit Damansara’s parent teacher association (PTA) has been advocating environmental education since 1999.

Christened the Save Our Endangered Animals Programme in 2000, the effort sees environmental education conducted during school hours. As the programme is supported by the school administration, virtually every student is involved in one way or other.

“The core vision of this programme is to save endangered species and green the earth,” explains SKBD PTA president Seth Yahya.

“We adopt a different endangered animal in Malaysia annually and use drama and art competitions to emphasise it to students.

“They are Malaysia’s future custodians and they must understand that their future actions will have great bearing on the planet.”

SKBD’s theatre productions have been held at KLPAC for the past four years and last year’s play highlighted the plight of the Borneo Sun Bear. Themed Goldilocks and the Bears, the production showcased synchronised movement, signing, acting, script writing and chorus work.

The students wrote the script themselves and even appeared on television to promote the play. Rehearsals lasted up to four hours during school holidays and the students didn’t disappoint on stage.

Year Six student Johaan Abraham, 12, was part of the acting troupe, playing a “cool bear.”

“There are lots of environmental related activities and this makes things fun to learn,” enthuses Johaan. “We even go on field trips and getting close to nature allows us to experience something more.

“Championing environmental issues is hard work but we do it out of pleasure at SKBD. We get to share ideas and be part of something big.”

Solar power to the people

SMK (P) Sri Aman is another green school.

Now, having a green office or school block is one thing, but what if your entire school is geared towards the environment?

At Sri Aman, rain water is harvested and used for lavatory and botanical purposes. With assistance from the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim), rain water is collected from the rooftops and filtered.

Also, students collect leftover greens and other organic waste from the canteen and mash them into fertiliser. Named Kompos, this endeavour ensures that nothing goes to waste.

Despite these initiatives, the crown jewel of Sri Aman’s green projects has to be its solar panel system.

“The system generates electricity from the sun’s rays and we sell the electricity back to Tenaga Nasional Bhd,” explains vice-principal Yeap Kooi Ngoh.

“The electricity generated is enough to power two or three air-conditioning units. This isn’t much but we’re setting an example by using alternative energy. And it’ll reduce costs in the long run.

“Embarking on a green route was the collective decision of the school administration and we want to equip our students with a strong sense of morality and responsibility.”

Funded by the United Nations Development Programme - Global Environment Facility and the Government, the system was open to all eligible schools and Sri Aman won the privilege to host it based on its track record with environmental companies.

Like the other projects, students do their part in monitoring the system and tabs are kept on how much electricity is generated each month.

Secret garden

A lush and peaceful environment is said to have a positive relationship with learning outcomes and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has been taking this seriously.

Its University in a Garden concept was coined in 2001 and the numbers of trees on campus has skyrocketed.

The Durian Valley eco-hub – named for obvious reasons – in the main campus has been converted into a small forest and with help from the forestry department, indigenous Penangite tress like the penaga laut are being planted.

“The Durian Valley is memorable as students used to steal durians and rambutans until they were chased away,” recalls Prof Lee Lik Meng of USM’s School of Housing, Building and Planning.

“Every tree is precious now but that wasn’t always the case. Angsana trees used to make way for car parks but we’re more conscious of what we’re doing now.”

There is radio frequency identification for more than 1,000 trees of USM’s campus now detailing the age of the trees, species, and other relevant information. Plans are afoot to construct an eco trail where visitors can get close and learn more about national trees.

USM is also embracing the concept of a green office. Minutes of meetings are no longer printed but instead, circulated via email.

Water is not dispensed through plastic bottles and waste is frequently recycled by contactors.

Bicycles are becoming a common sight as well.

“Cycling reduces the level of carbon emissions,” adds Prof Lee. “It would be good if the campus could mirror the city of Barcelona, Spain, where many cycle.”

Also, USM students are active in environmental efforts.

The White Coffin campaign against the use of polystyrene containers took the campus by storm last year and received international recognition from Hong Kong and Japan.

Meanwhile, student research topics focus on fuel energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable lifestyles and other green topics.

However, Prof Lee isn’t satisfied just yet.

“More needs to be done,” he muses. “The four Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle must be practised by every student.

“If that is practised, everyone can save the environment be it in the field, or from the comfort of their desks.”
The new eco-warriors

COOKING oil has many uses but Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Mechanical Engineering student Vigrem Raha, 24, found one of the more innovative ones – powering a motorcycle.

A member of the team that designed Malaysia’s first bio-diesel motorcycle, Vigrem fell in love with the environment by chance.

“I wasn’t environmentally-aware of many things before this,” he says. “However, my stint as a research assistant at USM’s engineering lab changed that.

“I helped my lecturers do interesting projects and they made me realise why environmental conservation is important.”

Unwilling to limit himself to bikes, Vigrem is also interested in renewable energy. In fact, he helped construct a wind turbine at USM’s engineering school.

“I love science and I believe that technical achievements can have more significant results than individual efforts.

“The Kyoto protocol plans to reduce emission levels and unless we see a drastic fall in the number of vehicles on the road, the only way we can achieve this target is by producing more efficient engines.”

While the love of science may fuel Vigrem’s fire, others have a more personal take on the environment.

Having grown up by the Port Dickson seaside, Universiti Malaya’s Marine Biology Masters student Lau Chai Ming, 24, misses his hometown’s heyday as a holiday hotspot. Today, he fights for paradise lost.

“My mother used to tell me how blue and clean Port Dickson’s waters used to be,” he laments. “It got worse as I was growing up and the town has little to boast about now.

“You could say that my environmental awareness is a reaction to this.”

An avid swimmer and snorkeler, Lau decided to get more hands-on – or flipper-on for that matter – and signed up for the Marine Conservation Project (MCP) that does beach clean-ups, underwater surveys, and erects barriers to stop boats from coming into close proximity of coral reefs.

He has since become involved with Reef Check, a marine underwater survey organisation that collects data on coral reefs.

“We also look at fish, invertebrates and subtrates (corals and sand),” explains Lau.

“We may be doing a lot of environmental work but it allows us to get close to nature’s beauty and for me, it’s worth it.

“My involvement with MCP also allows me to share my experiences with school children and that is fulfilling.”