MCKK Youth Summit 2011

From the 19th to 26th June 2011, 3 of our Eco Ranger members were selected to represent school for the Malay College Youth Summit Development 2011 (MCYDS 2011) to present on the Environmental Conservation Project carried out in Sri Aman, in conjunction with the theme of the summit, "What Works Well".
They also carried out an exhibition regarding the Environmental Conservation Project during the summit and they were featured in the News Strait Times.

A full journal about MCYDS 2011 will be posted soon! Stay tune :)

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's just our Eco Music Band on the front cover of the Star!

Remember our performance for the Earth Hour Youth Fest held at Sunway Giza? That's us, right there!

Wildly suitable for eco-knights

Wildly suitable for 'eco-knights'

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi (back row, third from left) launching the Anugerah Hijau competition at Dewan Produktiviti in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday. With him is New Straits Times PressSTP group managing editor Datuk Zainul Arifin (second from right). — NST picture by Hasriyasyah Sabudin

KUALA LUMPUR: Due to overwhelming support from participants and its partners last year, the Anugerah Hijau or Green Awards will continue this year.

EcoKnights founder and president Yasmin Rasyid said the programme was into its third year and aimed to continue its effort in inculcating eco-consciousness in youths, aged between 14 and 25, through fun elements in the programme.

"The idea of organising Anugerah Hijau is to provide a platform to motivate and encourage youths to tackle pressing environmental problems through creative and innovative projects."

There are two categories -- Totally Active and Wildly Creative. 

In the first category, participants will have to create a sustainable wear made from recyclable everyday objects while in the second category, participants will have to make a one to two-minute video on environmental issues.

Yasmin said they were seeking young talent who could come up with a strong message to raise awareness through fashion and videos.

The Anugerah Hijau was launched by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi on Tuesday and supported by Malaysia Productivity Corporation, CIMB Foundation and Shell Sustainable Development Grant. Its official media partner is the New Sunday Times and it is endorsed by the Education Ministry.

Students who want to take part in the competition must submit a proposal on their project at its official website at www.anugerahhijau.my by May 31.

Twenty teams will be shortlisted and they will attend one of two workshops on video-making and fashion design.

There is no limit on the number of entries per school.

The grand prize winner in each category will receive RM3,000 and four runners-up will receive RM1,500.

All finalists will also receive a CIMB Junior account with RM100 in each account.

Also present were New Straits Times Press group managing editor Datuk Zainul Arifin, Shell Malaysia general manager for corporate affairs Rowina Ghazali and CIMB regional director central 2 Freddie Acho Bian.

Walk For Children 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor flagged off more than a thousand participants of a charity walk yesterday.

The “Walk for Children: 1Malaysia Goes Green” held at Dataran Merdeka was organised by the International School of Kuala Lumpur to raise funds for two children’s homes – Rumah Kasih Sayang Rawang and Shelter Home for Children.

The walk was open to the general public and members of the Malaysian Association for the Blind also took part.

Noble spirit: Rosmah (in red jacket) and participants showing the 1Malaysia sign at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. — Bernama

The event was aimed at educating participants on how to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

“I’m happy to see children being active in sports and becoming more aware about climate change issues,” said Rosmah, who is the wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

She also offered her condolences to the people of Japan who lost their loved ones and homes in the recent massive earthquake and tsunami.

“As a wife and mother, I am deeply saddened by the lives lost and damage caused by the disaster,” she said.

'Knights' to reward 'green, creative' youths

SMK (P) Sri Aman students performing at the launch of Anugerah Hijau 2011 at the Malaysian Productivity Corporation on Tuesday. — Picture by Hasriyasyah Sabudin

PETALING JAYA: There is a need to eradicate the perception that one needs to have a science background to protect the environment.

EcoKnights, a non-profit environmental organisation, hopes to achieve this with Anugerah Hijau, a competition challenging youths, between 14 and 25, to think "green" creatively.

The competition was launched on Tuesday at the Malaysian Productivity Corporation here.

The competition comprises two categories -- Totally Active and Wildly Creative. Totally Active is about making a one to two-minute short film on any green issue, while Wildly Creative involves creating fashion attire where 70 per cent of its materials have to come from everyday recyclable items. 

"This year's theme is all about bringing creativity and innovation to understanding and addressing green issues through short films and fashion wear," said Yasmin Rasyid, president and founder of EcoKnights, which has been organising Anugerah Hijau since 2009.

"We want to build a future generation of shakers and movers, those who can champion a green cause by designing sustainable and/or eco-friendly fashion wear and by making films with urgent and inspiring green messages to the general public," added Yasmin.

Every year, the competition's goal is the same -- to give back to the environment by encouraging innovation and creativity among youths.

"We need to eradicate the 'fear' that one needs to have a science background to protect the environment. That's a big misconception.

"We want this competition to ignite creative ideas among youths from all backgrounds, whether in engineering school, boarding school, arts or science stream, multimedia students or even aspiring accountants or lawyers. We can't expect only the scientists to save the world, all of us live on the same planet, and that means all of us have to individually do something positive. Collectively, we can be a force," added Yasmin.

The competition is open to all secondary schools and higher institutions of learning in Peninsular Malaysia. There is no limit to the number of ideas an individual or a group can submit. All submissions must be done electronically via the official web portal, www.anugerahhijau.my.

Upon selection by Anugerah Hijau's panel of judges, ten best ideas from each category will be shortlisted and announced in June.

The finalists will have to attend a one-day facilitated workshop in July where their original ideas will be moulded, improved and expedited. The workshop is designed to help prepare the finalists for the competition.

Finalists will also get a chance to pop by the Sepang International Circuit for a pit tour and a chance to watch the Shell Eco Marathon Race.

One of the workshop facilitators is Lara Ariffin, an experienced local filmmaker who has made films such as The Smart Tunnel, The Malayan Emergency and Among the Great Apes with Michelle Yeoh. Silas Liew, who won MIFA's Most Promising Designer of the Year in 2001, is the other facilitator.

Individuals or groups from secondary schools, colleges or universities who sign up and participate in this competition between now and May 31 will automatically qualify for a free environmental awareness talk and environmental film screening by EcoKnights.

Anugerah Hijau ambassador Sari Yanti and expert judges will be evaluating all ideas submitted after its May 31 deadline and a special announcement will be made with the New Sunday Times as its official media partner.

Prizes include RM3,000 for the winner of each category, a certificate, trophy, an opportunity to catch the Shell EcoMarathon Race in Sepang (July), a CIMB Junior account with RM100 deposit, free privileged movie passes to watch the premiere of Green Hornet, courtesy of Warner Brothers, a spot in a special environmental leadership camp courtesy of Yuber, special green hampers and more.

Schools excel in initiative

Please click on the image to enlarge :)

Green schools

By Sarah Chew and Yazreen Haron

WHICH would you rather do in environmental conservation — hear a talk about saving trees for a 100 minutes or plant a 100 trees in your school?

And yes, though planting a 100 trees may take more out of you, it certainly would go a long way in ensuring a healthier and greener tomorrow, as students in 22 schools found out.

These students were part of the Toyota Eco Rangers Programme, a partnership between UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd and Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam (Yawa), which kicked off last year with a Eco camp where they learnt how to care for trees and plant them in their respective schools.

This three-year programme involves workshops, concept paper presentation, tree planting, nurturing activities and networking with community and governmental bodies.

Noor Rezan (fifth from left) talking to Sri Aman principal Alainal Hasani Md Noor about the school’s herb garden that was cultivated under the programme.
“As we end the first year of the programame, a total of 755 indigenous trees have been planted in the 22 participating high schools within the Klang Valley, by the students who have successfully applied the knowledge acquired from the Eco Camp workshop”, said executive director of strategic marketing group of UMW Toyota Motor Aminar Rashid Salleh at the first-year award ceremony recently.

Yawa and Toyota have been conducting on-site visits to the participating schools to monitor the progress and provide advice and feedback.

He also added that students will be taught on how to do labelling and inventory in the second year.

They would also be encouraged to carry out nurturing activities such as composting, producing enzymes and recycling, and also networking with the community, and move towards greening their school’s environment.
Schools were presented with a RM500 grant and starter kit of weeding, pruning and measurement tools, a test kit and fertiliser recipes.

To encourage the students in their endeavours, each school is monitored and assessed every year, with awards presented to schools in various categories.

The top three winners received cash prizes ranging from between RM1,000 and RM3,000 for the first year. They were SMK(P) Sri Aman, SMK Putrajaya and SMK Setapak Indah, Kuala Lumpur.

The Best Tree Planting, Best Nurturing and Environmental Practises and Best Reporting awards were won by SMK Bangsar, SMK(P) Sri Aman and SMK SS17 Subang Jaya respectively, with a reward of RM1,000 for each school.

The students and teachers agreed that they had gained valuable lessons and experiences through the past year.

“I’ve learnt how to plant trees correctly, know their scientific names, how to dig ponds, plan the ‘softscape’ and the ‘hardscape’ and even prepare presentations,” said SMK Putrajaya Form Five student Nur Azreen Hamidi, 17.

She added that when she leaves school, she would still return as an alumni to finish off the programme.
“In conjunction with the programme, we also conducted other eco-friendly activities as well, such as recycling, producing bio enzymes and an eco car wash where we used a pail of water for a car, and a pail of soap for several cars”, commented Nik Roshina, a participating teacher of SMK Setapak Indah, Kuala Lumpur.

Education Ministry deputy director-general (General Education Operations) Datuk Noor Rezan Bapoo Hashim said the ministry hoped the environmentally-friendly culture would extend beyond school.
“In understanding the importance of trees, comes a sense of responsibility towards the environment, not only within the school community but at home too”, said Noor Rezan.

To bring out the “eco” mood, there were special performances by the choir and orchestra of SMK(P) Sri Aman .

The participants will also be invited to a Tree Planting event in November this year.

The second year Eco Camp will be held in March 2010 and the final awards presentation will be held in June 2011 to complete the three-year programme.

Save the world!

There are lots that can be done to help protect the environment. Take a look at some of the initiatives taken by schools and students in a bid to do their bit. Perhaps they may spur you to think of ways through which you too can make the world cleaner and greener.

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(1 & 2) SMK Taman Tun Dr Ismail has a pond (above) maintained by its scouts that is home to a multitude of fish and tortoises. The school community also proudly welcomed a total of seven tortoise (below) hatchlings this year. – MOHD SAHAR MISNI / The Star

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(3) Sunway University College English lecturer Tan Meng Chwen (in red T-shirt), his colleague in the Canadian International Matriculation Programme Nancy Litman (fifth from left) and a group of students with the 26 bags of trash they had collected during a recent trek up Gunung Datuk in Negri Sembilan. – SUNWAY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

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(4) SMK(P) Sri Aman has an abundance of lush plants and trees as well as charming landscaping in line with efforts to make it a “green school”. Here, head of Science and Mathematics Yeap Kooi Ngoh, principal Alainal Hasani Md Noor and Science teacher Nor Hafizah Md Amran are seen at the fish pond.

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(5) Rain water is “harvested” in SMK(P) Sri Aman, collected in the tank on the left and filtered before being stored. The water is used in the toilet of one of the school blocks. As seen here, there are two meters outside the toilet, one to gauge the volume of rain water used, the other to measure the amount needed from the regular supply when rainfall is low.