On the 10th November 2023, 19 volunteers from our FSE, SI and PES departments visited Tzu Chi Environmental Protection Education Centre in Taman Sri Nibong, Penang to learn how to promote environmental sustainability effort.

The morning began with a brief introduction to the 5R concept, consisting of: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose. This taught our volunteers how we can reduce waste in our environmental footprint, allowing us to discover practical ways to implement these 5Rs in our daily lives.

This introduction was more than just words, as the people of Tzu Chi showed us how to utilise this 5R concept with examples around the centre. One good example is to repurpose the use of plastic bottles storing smaller shredded plastic wrappers to make Eco blocks for stool and table structural support. Others includes recycled all type of papers, glass bottles, PET bottles, other plastic items, repair and resale 3C products, metal cans, containers and small DIY plants for sale.

Our volunteers were then split into 3 groups for some hands-on experience in volunteer work, removing film tape from VCRs and cassettes, making repurposed Eco Blocks and helping to segregate the pile of mixed recycle items.

We would like to thank Tzu Chi Environment Protection Education Centre, for providing us an excellent training and lessons on how to embody the values of environmental responsibility.

A big thank to our team of volunteers as your dedication and commitment is truly inspiring, which made this event a success as well as being a catalyst in spreading the environmental awareness within our community.