BB4SCP 2.0 : Planting Seeds of Sustainability in Future Leaders
~Youth conference - empower change towards a more sustainable lifestyle~
Food opens doors to cultures and traditions. So much so that people are willing to travel the world to find authentic or bizarre food that gives them the history that goes far beyond the delicious meal presented on a plate. Not only that, food is nostalgic and provides an important link to our cultural heritage.
Though it’s celebrated and valued, there is a growing concern on how we are taking food for granted. Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry documented that Malaysians waste 15,000 tonnes of food daily, including 3,000 tonnes of edible food that could provide three complete meals a day for over 2.3 million people.
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Producing, distributing, storing or cooking food uses energy, fuel and water. Each of these processes emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Then we go on to waste an alarming 30% of the food we buy and what ends up in landfill create further greenhouse gases.
Producing, distributing, storing or cooking food uses energy, fuel and water. Each of these processes emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Then we go on to waste an alarming 30% of the food we buy and what ends up in landfill create further greenhouse gases.
The field visit is one of the most important components in the conference where the delegates gained a more holistic understanding of the information shared during the discussions and presentations. The trip helped bridge the gap between learning and hands-on experience.
The conference also drew the delegates’ attention to the fashion industry which is the second biggest polluter of freshwater resources on the planet. A quarter of the chemicals produced in the world are used in textiles. Our high demand for fast fashion is making it worse as it puts pressure to fashion producers to create clothing as fast and as cheap as possible. Now clothes have become dispensable and disposable, which encourages rapid consumerism and waste.
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For more information, please contact:
Farisha Zainol
Senior Communications Officer of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Programme, WWF-Malaysia
Tel: +603-7450 3773
Email: nabidin@wwf.org.my
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What went down during #BB4SCP 2.0
BB4SCP 1.0 : Youth Leaders Gathered to Create Path towards Green Growth
01 Dec 2016, Kuala Lumpur: In these modern times where there is an ever-growing consciousness of sustainability, WWF-Malaysia stepped forward to organise its first ever Youth Conference for Sustainable Consumption and Production. The conference which gained participation from over 70 youths was held at International Youth Center (IYC), Cheras.
Themed ‘Building Bridges for Sustainable Consumption and Production’ the conference aimed to enhance awareness and empower change in the students’ consumption lifestyle by making demonstrable improvements in regards to at least one of the key commodities - forest & wood products, seafood, palm oil, and carbon emissions from electricity use.
Globally, humanity's demand on the planet is more than 50 per cent larger than what nature can renew. If youth’s consumption patterns fall into the current trend, their future demands for goods and services could not be met as at present natural resources are already over-exploited.
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“Recently WWF-Malaysia launched the Living Planet Report which tells us the cumulative pressure we are putting on the earth, and the consequent decline in the health of nature around the world. I’m proud to see young people rising to the challenge that the report presents to us, to help create a prosperous future that the earth can sustain”, said Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia, Dr Sundari Ramakrishna during the launch today.
She added “It’s important to educate consumers, especially young adults which make up almost half of our population, on the behavioural changes that impact their consumption habits for a healthier environment. Wherever they are, at university or once they graduate, they are active consumers, leaders, decision-makers and voters, they should proudly shoulder the responsibility as champions for sustainable products in Malaysia”.
Co-organised with Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO) and EcoKnights, the conference brought together professional speakers from the private sectors, academia, and non-government organisations (NGO) with many years of valuable experience and knowledge on sustainable development. Participants were taken on educational outings to show how sustainable consumption and production principles can be a part of everyday life - whether passively through the very design of buildings and spaces, or actively through conscious consumption choices made on a daily basis.
“The organisation of the conference is timely as the country is working towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDG) roadmap, of which we feel a big component on youths' awareness on SDG is not detailed. This conference is a starting point to raise a new generation of responsible consumers who are not just aware but are empowered to make responsible choices in their consumption patterns. With the partnership of three prominent NGOs such as WWF-Malaysia, MENGO and EcoKnights, we hope this effort would gain the support of industry players and government agencies to elevate the focus on SDGs knowledge for Malaysian youths”, said Yasmin Rashid, Chairman of MENGO and President of EcoKnights.
Annually through the Earth Hour campaign, WWF-Malaysia calls on the public to conserve and use energy efficiently as well as avoid wasteful consumption. This conference served as an extension to the effort in promoting more sustainable lifestyles and business practices to reduce impact of human activities that cause climate change.
WWF-Malaysia thanks iM4U - Malaysia's leading youth volunteer community for becoming the official media partner for this conference. Members of the public are invited to visit the Building Bridges for Sustainable Consumption and Production Fair happening on 3 December 2016 from 10 am - 5.30 pm at Encorp Strand Mall, Kota Damansara.
The fair will start with a public forum in the morning and would continue with a lot of other fun and engaging stage activities from various eco-organisations like Project Woodworks which brilliantly crafts watches from unused wood, Babylon Vertical Farms which grows their vegetables hydroponically in the heart of a busy city, and many more.
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For further information:
Farisha Zainol, Sr Communications Officer, WWF-Malaysia
Tel: 03-74503773 Email: nabidin@wwf.org.my
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