UTM Leads SDG Agenda through Organic Waste Management Awareness Initiative

NORAHIM IBRAHIM

JOHOR BAHRU, 28 Oct. – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in collaboration with the Malaysian Ministry of Education (KPM) and Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) has conducted a Waste Management Awareness Program through composting activities at SK Sri Skudai. The later was previously selected as a model school that practices organic waste management through the acceptance of community grants IPRK 3.0 granted by MBIP.

A total number of 15 UTM student trainers who are also residents of Tun Hussein Onn College Student College Committee (JKM KTHO) volunteered as facilitators led by Prof. Associate Dr. Norahim Ibrahim and Dr. Mohd Farizal Ahmad Kamaroddin from the Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, UTM.

This Johor Bahru district-level compost-making workshop was conducted centrally, involving 11 schools around MBIP, an initiative involving collaborators such as the Malaysian Ministry of Education, The Johor State Students Association, M&I Technology and EMRO Malaysia Pt. Ltd.. More than 100 participants in this workshop will then organize knowledge transfer programs focusing on the same agenda in their respective schools.

Among the activities conducted during the session were best organic waste management practices, composting and introducing the importance of low carbon awareness that directly contributes to Sustainable Cities and Communities, as outlined in SDG11.

Pupils learned how to separate organic waste via an interactive simulation activity facilitated by UTM student trainers.

During the session, pupils were shown how practical organic management systems can be applied in their daily lives through a fun interactive simulation activity conducted by the student trainers. In addition, they were also trained to make compost from banana peels using Bokashi method.

Preparation of liquid organic fertilizer from banana peels as starting materials using Bokashi method.

The organization of this program has received positive feedback from the teachers, students and parents who attended. It is expected that sustainable initiatives such as this can be intensified in the future, thus giving birth to younger generations who are literate and aware of more planned and systematic organic waste management. Hopefully, the aspiration of a low-carbon literate community can be achieved as planned.