EK Newsletter - April 2016

April 2016

Inspiring Sustainable Living

EcoKnights E-Newsletter, Vol. 5 April 2016

Message from the President

The haze is back! Coupled with the increased surface temperature due to El Nino and the lack of rainfall at the right places, many of us will be tempted to switch on the air-conditioner more often than usual. Your electricity bills will undoubtedly increase this month and the next few. So if you’re not keen to be paying more, then it helps to start practicing some simple hacks to keep your body and home cool without using too much energy. In times of extreme weather, our carbon footprint increases by many folds. Nevertheless, expect more severe deterioration in the next month or so including worsening air quality.

Thus I hope that with the recent Green Market that you took the opportunity to check out what are some of the local environmental efforts and initiatives by NGOs, and learn to be a responsible consumerism from the green enterprises.

In our office, we are kept busy with the recently launched Anugerah Hijau nationwide competition for high schools. And we have kicked off the program with some roadshow talks and workshops for secondary school students in the Klang Valley. We will be reaching out to high schools in Negeri Sembilan and Pahang soon. Coming soon is our third year of partnership with AVEDA Malaysia to organize the annual Walk for Water 2016 fundraising and awareness program where EcoKnights aim to raise RM15, 000 to assist marginalized communities in Johore through the provision of water filtration systems.

In a couple of weeks, we’re heading to Ipoh to organize the Corporate Leadership Forum on Sustainability in partnership with the Perak State Government. If you’re a business owner or manager and is looking to embark on sustainable initiatives in your company, this forum would definitely be your one-stop platform to learn more from prominent sustainability practitioners and leaders who are in the forefront of instilling positive sustainable values in their businesses. Registration is still possible and do refer to the links below.

Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful April, and hope that we can try to observe as many low-impact activities on the planet.

Upcoming EcoKnights Programs

Anugerah Hijau 2016 reaches out to Youths in High Schools through Roadshows and Workshops

Applications are open to any secondary school throughout Malaysia and EcoKnights plans to have their usual roadshow across 8 states offering free educational environment-themed talks to school children.

Applications for the competition and requests for talks can be made on the program’s official website, www.anugerahhijau.my. Partnering with iM4U and with the endorsement of the Ministry of Education, this year’s theme centralises secondary schools and prods them to be green, in terms of three aspects: Recycling, Urban Farming (School Farming), and Energy Conservation and Efficiency.

Each school is, if interested, required to submit one comprehensive proposal comprising of all three of the aspects stated above. A total of 20 finalists from the submitted proposals will represent their schools in a workshop, mentored by professionals, hosted and sponsored by EcoKnights. The 20 schools will then face off in a 3-month long competition of “greenifying” their school.

Forum and Panel Discussion on “Sustainability: Going Beyond Just Ideas”, April 21 2016, Sunway Lost World Hotel, Ipoh

EcoKnights together with CIMB Foundation, Sunway Property Group and Institut Darul Ridzuan (IDR) are organizing a one day forum and panel discussion with top Malaysian leaders who advocate and practice sustainability in their businesses. Get inspired to “create shared values” for your customers, your business and your planet. Seven corporate knights from different industries will be sharing their sustainable actions – no ideas, no blueprint.

The 9th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival is now calling for Entries

EcoKnights annually organizes a non-profit environmental film festival as a platform for Malaysians to be engaged in environmental issues through the power of audio-visual materials. Be it film, art exhibitions, performances or workshops, the Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival (KLEFF) is gradually gaining traction as a home grown name in environmental advocacy. KLEFF is currently calling for films from international and local film makers.

If you have an urgent environmental story to share, submit your film today. More information can be obtained at www.kleff.my

For more current updates on what EcoKnights is up to, do LIKE us on Facebook, Instagram and also follow our tweets.