Project-2020

Rainwater tanks have been an integral part of the Malaysian landscape. Yet, large cities, including Melaka have not fully taken advantage of these simple structures. With recurring water crises and changes in climate, the importance of rainwater tanks is paramount. The Hang Tuah Jaya Local Council became the first local government authority in Melaka to promote the use of rainwater tanks in all the schools within their jurisdiction. To facilitate this, the Council in partnership with GGAF has planned to install rainwater tanks in selected schools. The project involves continuous simulation modelling to determine the appropriate tank volumes, based on factors including water usage patterns and available roof surface areas for harvesting. Numerous outcomes were recorded, not only in water savings but also in fostering water conservation awareness and behaviour in the younger generation. Six schools were selected to undertake the simulation in three phases with Universiti Pertanian Malaysia assisting GGAF and Hang Tuah Jaya Local Council in formulating the research plan, conduct the study and publish the research report. Go to Website www.paradigmakelestarian.com

The annual YRE International Competitions is the highlight of the National YRE programme. The most inspiring and creative entries from the National Competitions are assessed by an international jury and winning participants are given the opportunity to be recognised on a global scale. The purpose of the competitions is to engage youth in talking about environmental issues and share their thoughts and ideas with the international network and audience. As the national operator of YRE in Malaysia, GGAF runs these competitions and winning entries will be submitted to YRE International 182 entries across all three categories of Articles, Photos and Videos from 31 countries were submitted to the international competition in 2020. Go to Website www.lensakelestarian.com

The #YREstayshome Competition aims to empower Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) to remain active, engaged and creative even during the COVID-19 lockdown. Through this competition YRE continues being critical and curious voices for the environment as the world begins to shift out of lockdown.The above photos is an entry by Malaysian representative for the Single Photo category which highlights the sacrifice of the frontlines during the Covid 19 pandemic, often times risking their own lives, for the benefit of the nation. In the story category, Malaysian entry entitled “2020: Through Eyes of Normie garnered Special Mention. The article describes how the new norm in lockdown actually positively affected the environment, taught humans to be more careful in our actions and work towards a sustainable green lifestyle.

GGAF presented the Eco-Schools Programme to the Kelantan State Government in July 2020 and both parties agreed to enrol 30 schools in Kota Bharu into the program for a pilot run. A working committee was formed with representatives from the Kelantan State Government, Kumpulan Pertanian Kelantan Berhad, Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri Kelantan, Yayasan Islam Kelantan and Kelantan Utilities Mubaraakan Sdn Bhd. GGAF is committed to ensure that this programme paves the road for young leaders to create an environmentally conscious society.

GGAF, in collaboration with the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and the Datai Langkawi hosted a series of webinars to promote the sustainable practices in their daily operations. These webinars were hosted on the FEE’s Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) programme networks. Four main topics were presented: Run virtually, close to 200 participants from all over the world enjoyed the sessions that ran from 9th July to 20th August 2020. Contact us for more information.

The Melaka Environmental Week was held on 23 & 24, 28 & 29th December 2020, organised by GGAF and strategic partners comprising Melaka State Government, Ministry of Education, and Perbadanan Teknologi Hijau Melaka (PTHM). It is an educational initiative towards sustainable development and topics were selected with the goal of bringing awareness on present day challenges on the environment to the younger generation. A total of 77 students from 41 schools participated in this successful program. The programme was conducted virtually through an e-learning portal that was specifically developed for this purpose. Topics presented comprised Introduction to Environmental Pollution Issues, Air and Water Pollution, Marine Conservation, Solid Waste Management, Food Waste Management and culminated in a quiz. PTHM sponsored the prizes for the quiz winners. Go to Website www.paradigmakelestarian.com

The Digital Climate Change Marathon was organised by Hang Tuah Jaya Local Council and GGAF, to raise awareness among the youth on climate change and carbon footprint issues that are increasingly becoming severe. This programme targeted to ensure youth have a deeper understanding that equips them to become the agent of change in the future. Conducted over a week from 23rd November 2020, the marathon programme was conducted online and participants undertook their assignments according to the modules and worksheets provided. A total of 179 students and 24 teachers from 7 primary schools and 6 secondary schools participated. Topics presented included Introduction to Climate Change, Carbon Calculation for Electricity, Water, Waste & Food. The Council sponsored the programme which was concluded with a prize giving ceremony for winners of the competitions held during the programme.Go to Website. Go to Website www.paradigmakelestarian.com

In July 2020, two young reporters chosen from GGAF’s National Young Reporters for Education Malaysia programme, were given the opportunity to spend three days at the world-renown The Datai Langkawi (TDL). Accompanied by Mr Arnaud Girodon, General Manager TDL and Executive Administrator, Board of Trustees, The Dati Pleedge, as well as Mr Johan, Director of Human Resources of TDL, the pair were able to learn about TDL’s overall sustainability initiatives and obtained in-depth knowledge of the Datai Pledge. Through YRE, various programmes have been implemented, visiting TDL being one of the highlights. The young reporters produced engaging videos and learning materials from their viewpoints through this lifelong impactful experience. The Datai Pledge upholds four Pillars, namely Pure for the Future, Wildlife for the Future, Fish for the Future and Youth for the Future. It is in the Youth pillar that this opportunity is linked to. Go to Website www.lensakelestarian.com

The Sea Turtle Friendly Lighting Project in Melaka was a joint effort between GGAF and WWF-Malaysia to mitigate the negative implication of artificial lighting towards wildlife, especially light fixtures that have a short wavelength. Light fixtures in most developing coastal areas in Malaysia are not regulated; this poses a threat to the landing marine turtles. The traditional sodium-vapour street light fixtures compared to a light-emitting diode (LED) streetlight are inefficient and potentially harmful for the environment. Evidence suggests that marine turtles can notice light pollution up to 10 kilometres away from the beach, once landed, they are attracted to the beaming light fixtures, mistaking it for other natural cues e.g. moonlight. This change in direction exposes them to the danger of being run over, dehydration and preyed upon by a larger animal. Padang Kemunting Beach is a small fishing village in the Alor Gajah constituency in Melaka that was chosen as the project site. The coastal area of Melaka is the home of the hawksbill sea turtle with 400-500 recorded nesting a year. The beach is 800 metres long and funds are required to install 27 units of amber toned LED light bulbs specifically designed for the safety and comfort of the sea turtles. Contact us for more information.

In an effort to empower Malaysia’s youth to act on climate change issues within their own schools and communities, GGAF (Eco-Schools Programme) collaborated with the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council to conduct the Climate Ready Classroom Workshop. The workshop was held on 10th and 11th February 2020 for both primary and secondary schools at Dewan Seri Bendahara, Melaka while the programme was launched on the 12th of February. The student participants gained knowledge on climate change, carbon emissions and footprint. Potential impacts on health and sustainable of the environment and inhabitants. They were taught to calculate carbon emissions, retrieve financial data and analyse the data to determine the progress in reducing carbon footprint. Go to Website. www.paradigmakelestarian.com