On the 20th of April 2019, the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development hosted the Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara Sunrise at the Sunway University Post Graduate Lounge. JSC was approached by the Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara Sunrise to expand its members understanding of sustainability and their role in leading the way to become a "green" club.
The morning began with a sharing on planetary boundaries by Prof Leong Choon Heng and this understanding served as a scaffold to a workshop on single use plastic habits. Each member of the audience of two dozen participated in a self-reflection exercise on their personal single use plastic consumption habits. This undertaking spurred up a lively discussion around the challenges to fully eliminate single-use plastic and the struggle to implement sustainable consumption habits in the day-to-day. JSC also shared its sustainable-events practices.
Participants exchanged strategies and solutions which included alternatives to plastic products and changing shopping habits to avoid unnecessary utilization of plastic containers and bags.
Following the discussion, the two members who scored the lowest on single-use plastic usage were identified and lauded as role models for sustainable consumption due to their conscious efforts to reduce single-use plastic consumption.
A tour of the campus’s initiatives and campaigns for responsible consumption was conducted following the workshop. Rotarians viewed Sunway’s Last Straw Campaign water dispensers, the food and beverage vendors’ commitment to reduce straw usage by imposing a surcharge, and Sunway’s waste separation bins.
The workshop concluded with a group photo with the SDGs in the background.
For further information on JSC’s outreach and sustainable practices please contact: Amirah Majid (@email) or Phui Yi (@email)
1: From Left to Right: Kong Phui Yi (JSC), Prof Leong Choon Heng (JSC), Ernie Wong (President of the Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara Sunrise), Amirah Majid (JSC), Steve Robinson (Vocational Service Chair of the Rotary Club of Bukit Kiara Sunrise)
Photo Credit: Dr Yee Yoke Leong
