Article: Duty-bound

Sunday May 3, 2009

WITH non-governmental organisations, educators, students and even the tiny tots involved in the green crusade, it is heartening to note that some corporations are following suit.

UMW Toyota, for one, has been actively involved in the last decade.

START THEM YOUNG: Aminar says that it is important to expose school children to environmental issue.

"As a respectful corporate citizen, we see the need to give back to society in any way we can," says the company's executive director Aminar Rashid Salleh.

"The environment is shared by all and it is only natural for us to champion its preservation. It is the first of UMW Toyota's three pillars of corporate social responsibility – the other two being road safety and philantrophy."

Collaborating with the Education Ministry, the automaker currently runs the Toyota Eco Youth Contest (TEY) and the Toyota Eco Rangers Programme (TER) in schools.

Incepted in 2001, the TEY is an annual six-month long inter-school competition involving 16 secondary schools.

"We try to include one school per state and the ministry's input really helps us here as they want to strike a balance between urban and rural schools," continues Aminar.

"Also, their feedback helps us strike a balance in the programmes. Although the environment is a serious matter, students being students, prefer fun elements."

To date, the TEY has benefited more than 900 students from 113 schools.

The offshoot of TEY, TER goes back to basics by adopting a more hands-on approach. Launched last year, TER involves 22 selected schools in the Klang Valley which will each plant 100 trees within or around the school premises.

"Some school compounds may be too small for 100 extra trees and in those cases, the students have the opportunity to go out and impact their immediate community by planting them outside the school gates," enthuses Aminar.

"The students are actually in charge of the project as they decide which trees are best for the school. The TER is actually a pilot project and we hope to expand it in the near future."

Empowered by technology, students in the TER can connect and update each other on the progress of their tree planting.

Although driven by fun and passion, there is no room for slackness as an awards ceremony will be held to recognise schools who successfully maintain their trees.

"We believe in starting them young," Aminar muses.

"They're Malaysia's future leaders and imagine the impact they'll make if they become environmental advocates.

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This article was taken from: The Star Online: Education: 3 May 2009