USM PENANG, 18 Aug 2022 – An appreciation ceremony was held last month at the Toray-USM Knowledge Transfer Centre, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for students who have been chosen as Green Ambassadors (GAs) of USM.

The Director of Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Wira Mohd Safiei officiated the event, and accompanied by Project Leader, Dr. Ng Theam Foo who highlighted the efforts on sustainable development and environmental protection programmes in USM.

The Green Ambassadors (GAs) is a student-led volunteerism team that was established right after the COVID-19 MCO in 2021.

In the past 9 months, GAs have initiated a recycling space near the foyer of Hamzah Sendut Library I.

Part of their recycling efforts are in line with the establishment of the Environmental Protection and Education Hub (EPEHub), that is located close to the Animal Research and Service Centre, at the USM main campus.

The EPEHub is part of a joint initiative with Tzu-Chi Society, an NGO in Penang and is hoped to inspire USM students and staff to be more engaged in sustainable activities on campus.

USM GAs and Tzu Chi youth volunteers actively reach out to the USM community through their social media platform on Facebook and Instagram named ‘Environmental Protection and Education Hub’, and by organising various webinars to promote the spirit of environmental protection and sustainable lifestyle.

The Green Ambassadors are led by a Japanese international undergraduate student, Jiei Kobe.

Jiei manages three key teams, which include (1) Campus Waste Management, co-led by a postgraduate student, Yee Jean Chai, Khor Jia Rou and an undergraduate student Keng Qing Le; (2) EPEHub and Activity, co-led by Sanggari M. Thanabalan, Lim Wan Fei, Tan Siew Mei and Reem Abou Assi; and (3) Publicity, led by Chan Vi Sun.

Aside from that, GAs have also been recruited at other USM branch campuses. At the Engineering campus, it is led by Banu Priya Anbalagan, while at the Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (IPPT@Bertam) by Muhammad Arif Efendi.

At the Health campus, it is led by both Ainan Syakirah binti Kaspol Anuar and Karmila binti Md Samsul.

The GA student members are ‘unique’ in a way that they are required to complete a micro-credential USM open learning course and join at least one activity to be officially appointed as a GA.

The micro-credential course, namely “Reducing and Recycling of Campus Waste’’ was developed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tan Mei Lan, Dr. Ying Chee Keat, and Dr. Ng Theam Foo.

At the moment, there are a total of 170 students who have registered for the course and circa 30 students have obtained the Green Ambassador (GA) status of USM.

Up to now, GAs have successfully organised many activities such as campus plogging, recycling days, workshops such as the ecobrick making workshop, webinars and learning trips to the Tzu Chi Community Center and Rifle Range Digital Library in Padang Tembak and Taman Sri Nibong Environmental Protection Education Centre, as well as the Lumba Kuda Environmental Protection Education Centre.

On the appreciation night, the GAs received their nicely-designed GA badge, and certificate of appreciation from CGSS and USM. Tokens of appreciation were also given to the advisor and the main collaborator of the Green Ambassador organisation.

Mohd Wira emphasised the issue of climate change and the importance of this student initiative as they are our future leaders who will cultivate the sustainability culture among the USM community.

Together with the Green Ambassador advisor, Dr. Ying Chee Keat, they reminded the GAs to continue their environmental protection spirit and embed GA core values in their hearts even after they graduated from USM.

Furthermore, the GAs were asked to remember their GA missions and continue to spread awareness on environmental protection to others in order for the future generations to live a well-sustained, if not a better world.

The night was also graced by the main collaborator of this project, Tzu Chi Society Penang Malaysia. The Tzu Chi representative, Siow Eik Kwang, touched upon sustainability and the sense of compassion, and highlighted that sustainability starts from an individual’s lifestyle change or choice.

As the saying goes, “if we change, the culture will follow”.

Source Text & Photo: Dr. Ng Theam Foo/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin & Tan Ewe Hoe