TRASH HERO INSTILLS THE AWARENESS OF LOVE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AMONGST UUM STUDENTS

UUM ONLINE: The founder of Langkawi Trash Hero cum nature lover, Ms. Ulrika Player, from Sweden successfully instilled awareness to appreciate and protect the environment amongst the students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

According to Ms. Ulrika, when she set foot on the island well-known for the legend of Mahsuri, she began to fall in love with the beauty of Langkawi Island, but the rubbish which was visible everywhere was an eyesore to her.

"I saw a lot of people throwing rubbish as they wished and this attitude is very disappointing, it then dawned on me the idea of establishing Langkawi's Trash Hero as soon as I witnessed the Trash Hero World, a movement that does volunteer work to pick up rubbish in order to protect the environment.

"I am aware that we are unable to change others, so I started with myself by demonstrating good attitude for others to emulate including stopping my motorcycle to pick up rubbish and from there people began to take notice," she said.

"The first six months made me want to give up. Imagine picking up garbage alone and the next day rubbish was scattered again at the same place. I felt miserable. Fortunately enough for me, Trash Hero World helped me a lot by sharing their experiences.

"Finally, I got back up and continued my quest which has also made five-star hotels turn the Trash Hero programme as a part of tourism activities," she said in conjunction with the community service programme, Down to Earth: Trash Hero recently.

Meanwhile, Director (Student Experience & Customer Care) Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School (OYAGSB), Dr. Marlin Marissa Malek Abdul Malek stressed that the programme organized by OYAGSB was aimed at inculcating the awareness of caring for the environment, beginning with the denizens of UUM and subsequently with communities nearby to UUM.

"To maintain cleanliness we need to change mentality. This is not the job for cleaner or UPSB workers only but it is our collective responsibility in protecting the environment.  This is because pollution of the environment will harm the people.

"It's time for students to return something to UUM and I hope this programme encourages others to be aware of the environment and care for the environment just as we would look after our own homes," said Dr. Marlin Marissa Malek Abdul Malek who was equally impressed by the enthusiasm shown by Ms. Ulrika.

Approximately 60 UUM volunteers, comprising members of staff and students, managed to collect more than 200 kilograms of garbage found in Sintok Forest and the garbage was sorted into the blue plastic bags for cans and green plastic bags for plastic to better facilitate solid waste management.