SHAH ALAM, June 5, 2024 – In celebration of World Environment Day, 100 students from the School of Chemical Engineering at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) launched an ambitious community service program titled “Greening the Globe.” As part of their learning activities in Leadership and Professional Ethics for Engineers course, these students engaged 1,126 school children from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seksyen 18, Shah Alam, in a series of interactive and educational activities.
This year’s World Environment Day event was hosted by the Saudi Arabia, with the theme, “Reviving Lands for a Brighter Future”, which focused on critical issues such as land restoration, desertification prevention, and drought resilience. As the program is registered under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the “Greening the Globe” initiative is part of a global effort to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th each year. Themed “Empowering Sustainability Mindset through STEM Explorations,” the initiative aimed to promote environmental sustainability and increase interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) among young students.
The program featured 18 diverse and hands-on activities designed to instil a sustainability mindset among students through STEM explorations. Activities were held in parallel sessions throughout the day, sections into three slots including Eco STEAM, Trash to Treasure, and ExploreWASTERace. These sessions combined fun and education, incorporating games and knowledge sharing to engage the children.
“The activities ranged from using plastic waste to create vehicles powered by chemical reactions to upcycling old T-shirts into reusable shopping bags,” explained Mohd Syafie, the program director. “We also demonstrated fluid dynamics for effective water management and taught students how to turn used cooking oil into fragrant soap and turn old newspaper into seed-infused recycle paper.”
This year’s project saw significant support from strategic partners, including KDEB Waste Management, Nur Power, MR DIY, MBSA, Temerloh Catering, Mydin Arus Oil, Koperasi Kobuniti Selangor Berhad, Puvanameta Sdn Bhd, and Kloth. Their contributions were instrumental in ensuring the success of the event, providing both sponsorship and active participation and supports in the activities.
The benefits of the program extend beyond environmental education. For UiTM students, it offers invaluable hands-on experience that could shape them into a holistic individuals/future engineer, enhancing their social skills, communication skills, critical and creative thinking skills, project management and organisations, and readiness to tackle real-world issues and conflicts. For the school children, it ignites curiosity and interest in STEM fields, coupled with a practical understanding of sustainability practices and input from their brothers and sisters pertaining to relevant knowledge in chemical engineering.
As the program concluded, the sense of accomplishment was profound among all participants. The “Greening the Globe” program exemplifies how academic institutions, in collaboration with corporate sectors, can play a pivotal role in community development and environmental stewardship, paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.
“I hope this experience inspires all participants to continue advocating for environmental sustainability and to recognize their potential impact on the community,” said Associate Professor Ir Dr Siti Shawalliah Idris. “By fostering a passion for science and technology, we are not only addressing current environmental challenges but also equipping future leaders with the necessary tools to create a sustainable world.”