ALOR SETAR - Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) earns the distinction of becoming the first university to have a drive-through recycling centre or 'Drive Thru Recycle Center' (DTRC-UUM) on campus in the country.
Chairman of the University’s Board of Directors Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar said all campus residents can enjoy the rewards through recycling activities through IdamanXChange applications such as Boost and Touch&Go.
Within 17 months of initiation, the DRTC-UUM has managed to prevent 61 tonnes of recyclable items from reaching the landfill, saving 366 trees, 32.3 million gallons of water, 35,937 hours of electricity and 3,417 gallons of oil and returning RM37,390 to the local community.
"It is a simple idea but has a very deep impact, thus proving to us that no action is too small when it comes to sustainability," he said in a statement today.
He said this when officiating the 2024 Higher Education Institution Sustainability Summit which brought together 12 public universities across the country and was also attended by UUM Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan and chief executive officer of E-Idaman Sdn Bhd Zaki Abdul Aziz MH Daud.
Mohd Shukor said higher education institutions should take proactive steps, not only as educators but also as agents of change when the world is facing global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation and social inequality.
"Understanding among all universities is a main component in efforts to carry out changes towards the future and all parties need to collaborate with each other to achieve the goal of sustainability.
"I hope that a conference like this can not only create a platform for knowledge sharing but that it will also be able to contribute to changes in national policy towards long-term sustainability efforts," he said.
At the same time, he also inaugurated the book "UUM Living Campus Blueprint" which is a strategic framework designed to ensure UUM's readiness to accept a sustainable higher education landscape.
"We aim to brainstorm ideas and collaborate initiatives to go beyond the scope of this summit, thus will continue to contribute to global efforts in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDG) and inspire positive changes around the world," he said.- BERNAMA