By: Muhammad Hafizzudin Ibrahim, Nur Syaherah Mohamad Sabri, Nur Allya Muhamad Rizal and Nur Afiqah Mad Nor
SERDANG – Some 86 students from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and 20 public participants have joined the BioGreen Week 1.0 2020 programme aimed to help spread awareness among the society to protect the environment, by engaging into various activities.
It was organised by Kelab Mahasiswa Biologi (KMB), Department of Biology, UPM.
The five-day programme themed ‘Our Promise to Our Planet’ attracted students from different areas of study as well as public from various organisations.
Participation from UPM were students from Faculty of Science, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Human Ecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology and Faculty of Educational Studies.
While participation from institute of higher learnings were from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Kolej Universiti Islam Selangor (KUIS), Kolej Matrikulasi Melaka, Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, Arau, Perlis and Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Dato’ Razali Ismail, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.
Among the activities held were ‘Plastic Free,’ ‘Think Green,’ ‘3R (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle),’ ‘Ocean Game Challenge’ and ‘Earth Day.’
The programme was a good platform to engage students in activities that could increase their awareness and knowledge on the importance of environmental care, by learning and practicing it in the new norms.
During the current pandemic Covid-19 scenario, Instagram and YouTube have become the main platforms and effective tools to express students' creativity and innovations.
The programme and KMB advisor, Dr. Mohd Noor Hisham Mohd Nadzir said BioGreen Week 1.0 2020 is the pioneer of such programme organised by KMB.
He said the theme ‘Our Promise to Our Planet’ encouraged students and public to be actively involved in the vision towards making a healthier and better planet to live in.
“Compared to other KMB activities, Biogreen Week 1.0 2020 is an online program designed to help raise public awareness through the use of social media. This is because, social media is an effective way to convey messages and news especially during this new norm,” he said.
Meanwhile, the programme and Advisor of KMB, Dr. Bokhary Zainal said the programme aimed to encourage students to protect and conserve the environment.
He said, although Biogreen Week 1.0 2020 is the first such programme initiated by KMB, it has received lot of positive responses from UPM students, as well as students from other institute of higher learnings.
‘BioGreen Week 1.0 2020’ is a UPM initiative, in particular, the Department of Biology's efforts to produce capable, responsible, knowledgeable and competitive students in the future,” he said.
Programme Director, Noor Farah Adilah Mat Yusof said that the new norm was not an excuse but was a challenge for students to excel and be a better person.
“With this programme, we can build a caring society that are willing to sacrifice for the environment. I hope BioGreen Week 1.0 2020 can be a small step for a greener future,” she said. – UPM
