KUCHING, Feb 9: Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) Sarawak, Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and WWF-Malaysia has recently inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to jointly develop and publish a solid waste management and environmental education book for primary schools.
NREB said this book, which is particularly for Kelab Pecinta Alam Sekitar (PALS Club) members, will be the first of its kind in the State as it focuses on teaching the young generation the fundamental knowledge, best practices in solid waste management and environmental sustainability.
NREB Controller of Environmental Quality Sarawak Peggy Ronin Edin said the MoA marks a strategic collaboration between the three agencies to work together towards improving current environmental issues through educating the younger generation.
“Environmental issues such air and water pollution, severe storms and extreme weather conditions due to climatic change, resources depletion and other similar challenges can potentially turn into ecological nightmares for us.
“No single agency, group nor certain section of the society can single-handedly shoulder the responsibility of protecting and managing the environment or solve these problems,” she said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Trienekens Group chief executive officer (CEO) Stephen Chin said the publication of the book was planned to provide an educational resource and framework that specifically addresses solid waste management issues.
“In order to change the mindset and behavior of our society on solid waste management, we need to reach out and educate our young from an early age.
“We are in need of an appropriate educational material specifically on solid waste management which can complement the current educational syllabus.”
WWF-Malaysia Conservation director Dr Henry Chan, on the other hand, said the publication of the book is timely and will complement the existing environmental education resources in the country.
Work on the book shall start in early 2022, and once completed, about 500 books are expected to be distributed and used by the PALS Club throughout Sarawak.
The PALS Club is an environmental education programme established by NREB Sarawak with support from the Sarawak Education Department since 1999.
To date, the club which focuses on inculcating awareness, love and good practices for the environment has about 391 members comprising primary and secondary schools from all over Sarawak. — DayakDaily
