THE Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) programme, one of UMW Toyota’s CSR pillars, enters its 14th year with challenging projects from 16 participating schools.
Officially launched in February, the programme continues to challenge teachers and students to do their part for the environment using resourceful and creative means.
As in previous years, waste management continues to take centre stage this year, with eight schools focusing on public littering, clogged drains, illegal dump sites and ponds or rivers choked with rubbish.
Some schools decided to attempt new ventures, such as SMK Clifford in Pahang who will be tackling the problem of birds’ droppings at the Kuala Lipis town while SMK Putrajaya Presinct 9 (1) will be looking into padi-planting as a greywater treatment process.
SMK Convent Kajang will be turning a home for underprivileged girls into a model eco home and SMK Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu is trying to revive a traditional river and fishery rehabilitation system known locally as the Bombon System.
SMK Putrajaya and SMK Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu have successfully collaborated with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) respectively. Similarly, students from SMK Convent Kajang have also visited 3R Quest, a recycling and bio-enzyme company, to get technical advice and inspiration.
Apart from their community projects, some schools are also conducting internal programmes, such as SMK Paya Kemunting, Kedah, who recently launched their garden zoning project using a mentor-mentee system.
The project will see the entire school being transformed into a green living space that is conducive for learning.
“We can all do something if we get together and tackle the problem using the 8-Step Problem-Solving Methodology,” said UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki.
The 8-Step Problem-Solving Methodology, which is used across the board in all Toyota entities worldwide, is a step-by-step guide to tackling problems, starting with identification of a problem, understanding the situation, setting targets, analysing the cause and effect, drafting and implementing countermeasures, checking the results and standardisation control.
Winning schools will receive RM10,000 for the grand prize, RM7,000 for second prize, and RM5,000 for third prize winner.
For details, log on to www.toyotaecoyouth.com.my or view the blog at www.ecoyouthblog.toyota.com.my.
