Alam Flora Sustainability Hunt 2022, Taman Tugu KL

Most of us know the importance of sustainability but sadly, we tend to adopt the "let's wait for the other person to do it" kind of attitude...

If you have been waiting for the other person to do something, Alam Flora Sdn Bhd (Alam Flora) has adopted a holistic approach towards sustainability which encompasses Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects across the value chain…. 

This is done via a number of programmes and initiatives involving waste diversion and waste recovery facilities.

Azahari Zainal Abidin, Alam Flora’s Chief Operating Officer said Alam Flora is now on the right track to improving aspects of sustainable living and environmental care, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes adopting digital technology in its day-to-day operations, for example, by monitoring its operating vehicles to enable the provision of more efficient and effective services, and by reducing fuel waste which can reduce its carbon footprint.

Alam Flora has also developed an Integrated Recycling Facility (IRF) to reduce waste disposal at landfills and has been heavily promoting its 5R (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recovery) programmes in efforts to raise awareness among the public and help meet the Government’s goal of reducing recyclable waste sent to landfills to 40 percent by 2025.

Yours truly was part of the team of bloggers who took part in the Sustainability Hunt 2022 by Alam Flora held at Taman Tugu forest trails (Kuala Lumpur) early in the morning which consisting of 10 members of the mainstream media, 10 bloggers, five KOLs and five influencers including a celebrity, Ummi Nazeera….

All of us who participated in the Sustainability Hunt 2022 were given a sustainability task at five checkpoints which were all related to how the little things we do daily or the change we create can actually make a difference…

It was definitely eye opening, fun and we definitely learned a lot from the little lessons in sustainability such as how carbon footprints, greenhouse gases and methane emissions can actually hurt our environment and how we could reduce all these carbon contribution with the little changes in our lifestyle

The five checkpoints were -

1. Upcycle where we learn to transform an old t shirt into a bag which we could use to bring our things … did you know that by upcycling, we can actually reduce the pollutants of air, land and water … it also reduces the amount of waste which could end up in landfills….

2. Trash Encyclopedia - This was a little bit of a challenge as we had to find a stash of trash using a compass and instructions.. but it was definitely a lot of fun… 

....we found the hidden stash of trash but learnt what we could use as a substitute which is more sustainable and less harmful to our environment and of course, last but not least, how to actually segregate our trash the right and proper way

3. Sustainability Champion - This stop was pretty easy peasy as it just required us to answer an interactive quiz on our smart phone but it was also definitely eye opening as there were just so many ways we emit carbon footprints unknowingly with our energy usage, recycling habit, food selections and shopping practices… I surely have a long way to go with a sad result of 9/18…..

4. The Seed of Life - this was certainly a fun activity and so easy and so good for both the environment and our health too… we learned how to plant microgreens by repurposing plastic containers …

... microgreens are actually so easy to plant and contain higher nutrient levels then mature vegetables!!!

5. The Tree’s Last Message - this is truly a sad task… we were in a beautiful dense forest but told to imagine if it was marked for deforestation … isn’t that just such a tragedy!!!!  However, it is also a reality in many places around Malaysia and the world with trees being but down!!! 

We had to write a last message from the tree and mine was simply, “ Help me, to help save your future and the air you breathe” because without trees, we will definitely be having a shortage of oxygen as well as live in a more polluted and poisonous environment ….

With all these, we really must remember that sustaining a liveable environment and maintaining cleanliness is a joint effort by everyone. Everyone from all walks of life have to be able to make an effort to make some minor or major changes in their lifestyle, and not just wait for the next person to do it, or it could just be too late for us all one day.....