UNIVERSITI Utara Malaysia (UUM) has earned the distinction of becoming the first university in the country to have a drive-through recycling centre at its campus in Sintok, Kedah.
UUM board of directors chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar said all campus residents could take part in recycling activities through the idamanXchange app.
Over 17 months, the recycling initiative successfully prevented more than 61 tonnes of recyclable materials from reaching landfills, he said.
It also recorded the preservation of 366 trees, conservation of 122,268,743 litres of water, 35,937 hours of electricity saved, 12,935 litres of oil consumption reduced and a significant contribution of RM37,390 to the local community.
“It is a simple idea but has a very deep impact, proving to us that no action is too small when it comes to sustainability,” he said when launching the 2024 Higher Education Institution Sustainability Summit which brought together 12 of the country’s public universities.
Mohd Shukor said higher education institutions should take proactive steps not only as educators but also as agents of change as the world faced challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation and social inequality.
“Understanding among all universities is a crucial component in efforts to carry out changes,” he said, as reported by Bernama.
“All parties need to collaborate with each other to achieve sustainability goals.
“I hope that a conference like this can not only create a platform for knowledge sharing, but also contribute to changes in national policy towards long-term sustainability efforts,” he added.
Mohd Shukor also launched the UUM Living Campus Blueprint book, which is a strategic framework designed to ensure the university’s readiness for a sustainable higher education landscape.
“We aim to brainstorm ideas and collaborate beyond the scope of this summit and by doing so, contribute to global efforts in achieving sustainable development goals and inspiring positive change around the world,” he said.
Present at the event were UUM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan and E-Idaman Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Zaki Abdul Aziz MH Daud.
