Category: Newsletters

Published: Thursday, 08 August 2019 12:01

You can download the PDF file here 4.25 MB

Category: Newsletters

Published: Thursday, 08 August 2019 11:51

You can download the PDF file here 5.42 MB

As such, one of the most important components of all in EcoKnights, is its human power. From day one of our existence, the emphasis is not just about growing and scaling the organization and its goals but to also grow amazing Knights, that will go out there to shape a more sustainable future. As such, I just want to say a special shout-out to all the Knights for this edition of the newsletter. Because of you, we grow and do the work we do and we make that difference – no matter small or big. Because of you, we nailed that national award in recognition of our volunteerism efforts in restoring degraded spaces in the city. Now bring it on, and have a wonderful April.

2019 has been quite a whirlwind so far. Since the new year started, wehave been pushing our gears for many of our community development and volunteerism initiatives and more is in the pipeline. So as a person running a not-for-profit organization, I’ve learnt that while it is important to prioritize funders and the beneficiaries, it’s critically important to also prioritize the people that plan, deliver and monitor such efforts.

Nothing Exists Alone in Nature

By: Teoh Wei Jiet

These words said by celebrated American marine biologist, author, and conservationist Rachel Carson have been at the heart of environmentalist movements all over the world since the early 1960s.

She observed that everything in nature is interconnected, and every action within an eco-system has a ripple effect. Like a symphony, when a note is removed or played off-key, the entire performance suffers. Nature is Mother Earth’s symphony.

This isn’t an April Fools’ joke; human beings have irrevocably affected the balance of nature, and the world is now experiencing the highest rate of species extinctions since the dinosaurs 60 million years ago. Let’s take coral reefs for example. Coral reefs cover an estimated 110 million square miles worldwide. Apart from being one of the most beautiful sights on Earth, they also house 25% of all marine life, with each reef capable of housing at least a thousand different species. Additionally, Corals are also an important source of medicine for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease.

However, despite their ecological and practical value, a quarter of all coral reefs in the world have been damaged beyond repair, and more than 60% of coral reefs are under serious threat. On top of that, due to climate change making our oceans more acidic, coral reefs are being bleached and dying in huge numbers. This phenomenon is not an isolated one; the effects of climate change on ecosystems all over the world are grim, and most species simply cannot survive.While you might be nowhere near an ocean or a coral reef, your behaviours and actions will still impact it. As Rachel Carson, said “nothing exists alone.” As a species, we must act quickly to reduce our contributions to climate change; otherwise the next mass extinction will be part of mankind’s enduring legacy.

Earth Day is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the impact our actions have on our planet. The theme for Earth Day 2019 is “Protect Our Species”, which highlights the importance of saving endangered and threatened species. On this day, people usually think about how to reduce their carbon footprint, how to live more sustainably, and more importantly, how to repair damaged eco-systems. During Earth Day, many individuals and organizations around the world take the initiative to plant trees and wildflowers as a present to our planet.

On top of that, many countries add their own twist to their celebrations. Some countries like South Korea celebrate this day through musical festivals and parades with instruments made from upcycled plastic and other discarded items. Other countries prefer to commemorate Earth Day through works of art, holding exhibitions featuring art pieces made from waste materials and based on eco-friendly themes.

This year, take Earth Day as an opportunity to volunteer at a local conservation centre to learn more about an animal species or ecosystem of your choosing. By becoming a more eco-conscious individual, you can begin identifying how you can act against climate change. Only if we all make the choice to accept responsibility for the health of the environment, will our future on this planet is secured.

Tanamera Hearts

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights
EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative, creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Category: Newsletters

Published: Monday, 24 December 2018 23:37

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

“Tis the season to be jolly, fa lalalala lalalala”

Christmas is always sentimental and emotional for me. For one, it marks the end of the year, and it’s also the time the entire office takes a long break (I call it a combination of rejuvenation and hibernation) before we kick start 2019. Secondly, Christmas is also the time we reflect on the people around us, and be thankful with who and what we have in our lives.

It has been a wild year for us here at EcoKnights, our team is gradually expanding, and this year was a record for many of our engagements. We wouldn’t be able to do it without you – your support, your participation and your believe in us and what we are doing to contribute to sustainable development in the country.

So here’s our last newsletter for the year, and from the bottom of our hearts, we would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Latest News

HOT FROM THE OVEN: THE BRANDLAUREATE CSR LEADERSHIP AWARDS 2018

On 20th of December, EcoKnights Founder and President Yasmin Rasyid, together with Program Director Fadly Bakhtiar attended the award ceremony of The Brandlaureate CSR Brandleadership Awards 2018. After a whole night of waiting with butterflies in the stomach, it was finally announced that Yasmin won the Community Leadership Award as the President and Acting Executive Director of EcoKnights. Congratulations to Yasmin and the team, and a big thank you to everyone who has supported us.

LET ECOKNIGHTS KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT VOLUNTEERISM SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE BETTER VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

While preparing for the joyous holiday celebrations with your friends and family, it’s important to stop and reflect on the joy and blessings you can give back to the community.

Let’s help our intern Marin Mihai David from University of Twente (Netherlands) conduct his research about the link between technology and volunteerism. This survey will also help in developing an online volunteering platform on the EcoKnights website.

Your responses will have a positive impact in helping improve what we do by completing this 5-minute anonymous questionnaire. Thank you in advance!

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS

Thank you for subscribing to our Newsletters and we are so grateful to have you concerning the sustainable development in Malaysia. In order for us to understand the role of our newsletter in fulfilling your need and interest, please take 2 minutes to complete this survey regarding our current Newsletter content.

KLEFF 2018 FINAL REPORT: WHAT WE’VE ACHIEVED

It’s been 2 months since the 11th KLEFF and EcoKnights would like to thank everyone for your support. The committee would like to share the KLEFF 2018 Final Report on the impact achieved through this festival.

ECOKNIGHTS INTERNSHIP IMPACT REPORT

As part of youth development, EcoKnights has been witnessing the come and go of 30 interns from 2016 to 2018. The interns and their skills contributed much to EcoKnights while they went through self-development, hence EcoKnights did a survey on their feedback regarding the internship program and how can the program be improved. Let’s see what the interns say about their time with EcoKnights here.

30 TEACHERS TRAINED TOWARDS INSPIRING SUSTAINABILITY

In a recent collaboration with Petaling Jaya Local Council in support of their Low Carbon City Framework, EcoKnights President Yasmin Rasyid has led a workshop of sustainable practices in nurseries and kindergartens to 30 teachers. Young children are the heirs of our environment and it is of greatest hope that they are inspired to be responsible to nature as early as possible. Read more about the workshop here.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY GARDENING WORKSHOP FOR 120 STUDENTS

In collaboration with Segambut Member of Parliament YB Hannah Yeoh, EcoKnights has conducted a fun and engaging DIY Self-watering System Workshop at S.K. Segambut Makmur. The recipients are 120 local students from different schools. Through this workshop, it is believed that the students are now equipped with the skills to create their little green corner at home, reducing the waste and enhancing the air quality at the same time. Check out the photo footage here.

ECO ENZYME WORKSHOP & GARDEN MAINTENANCE @ STARBUCKS GREEN OUTREACH PROGRAMME

Together with Starbucks Malaysia, EcoKnights further engaged with Starbucks customers through 2 ecoenzyme workshops. They also had another community engagement with residents at Taman Ikan Emas to take care of the edible garden reguarly. Read more about the workshop at Kota Kemuning and Alam Damai, and also the edible garden maintenance at Taman Ikan Emas.

NISSAN NURTURES NATURE IN CENTRAL PENINSULAR

After the journey to Ipoh in October, EcoKnights team continued to extend their influence in Seremban and Cheras, showing the potential Nissan car owners how they can reuse the plastic bottles and turn them into a self-watering system. Different types of herbs were used during the campaign. Check out the list of herbs here.

H2OURS@RHYTHM FIESTA: SPREADING WATER AWARENESS

A water-themed carnival named H2Ours was conducted at Gamuda Gardens concurrently with their Rhythm Fiesta. All the activities carried out during the carnival were surrounded by the topic of water conservation. Let’s find out the water awareness activities here.

COMPOSTING IN THE NATURE: GARBAGE TO GARDEN WORKSHOP AT TAMAN TUGU

Invited by Friends of Taman Tugu, EcoKnights held a garbage to garden composting workshop in the natural forest of Taman Tugu. Types of composting system, basic concepts in composting, and the insect indicator associated with composting were introduced to the participants. Read more here.

River Of Life (ROL)

LEARNING IN THE RIVER: ECOKNIGHTS RIVER EXPLORER PROGRAM

What can be more exciting to children than learning about nature when being in it themselves? EcoKnights team has just conducted another River Explorer Program in collaboration with Tatana Roots at the end of November, at Taman Warisan, Gombak. The children learnt about the lifeforms in the river such as what they indicate, and where to look for them, before being rewarded a leisure time playing while exploring in the river. Read more about the program here.

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: PLANTING 100 FRUIT TREES IN 2018

The third and final tree-planting programme initiated by Vanke Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd was done last month at Surau Al-Falahiah 1Razak Mansion and Bunus River Retention Pond respectively. The programme was attended by more than 100 volunteers besides the officers from Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and Vanke Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd. Congratulations to Vanke for completing the riverbank rehabilitation project.

EMPOWERING LECTURERS TOWARDS RIVER CONSERVATION

EcoKnights together with Expressionz hosted 30 lecturers from Malaysia and Indonesia during SEASHEL 2018 to show the academicians the efforts that have been carried out to conserve Bunus River and Kerayong River. It is hoped that these academicians can make use of their expertise and resources to bring the awareness to another level in near future. Check out the photo footage here.

Green Tips for Christmas

Christmas is the biggest season of the year for gatherings, sharing and laughter. Not forgetting a lot of gift exchange too. Statistics has shown that we generate more wastage during festive seasons, so why don’t we tweak our Christmas a little bit towards the greener side?

Green Tip 1 – Use natural potted tree and LED lights for your Christmas tree

Green Tip 2 – Choose the decorative items that you can keep for next year

Green Tip 3 – Bring your recycle bags and shop for locally-made products

Green Tip 4 – Re-gift the gifts that you didn’t use

Green Tip 5 – Wrap your gifts with newspaper instead

Green Tip 6 – Customize your Christmas cards from unused materials

Green Tip 7 – Don’t cook extra or fridge the excess for next meal

Green Tip 8 – Use bamboo straws for drinks in gatherings and parties

What Our Interns Say

Recently two amazing interns served their internship with us and what can we say, they are as always, superb. Let’s have a read on what they have to say about their internship experience with us.

ALYA RAZALI

Hello everyone, I am Alya fresh graduate from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and I was a former intern at EcoKnights. It is truly my honour to share with everyone a few valuable moments that I had experienced in EcoKnights throughout my internship period.

The very first day I started working, it took me some time to “warm up” with all knights in EK as I am a shy and slightly passive kind of person but I can assure you that no matter what type of a person you are, you would always feel welcomed by EcoKnights team. This is the place that allows me to be myself as well as to grow and improve my skills from time to time. I don’t know about other places, but in EK we were invited to join workshops to enhance our skills in project management and also communication, which I assume it is one of the most valuable skills one should possess in order to get you hired in the industry.

I was given a chance to experience various kinds of job scope from as simple as writing official letters to ministries into managing hospitality of local and international filmmakers coming from all around the world during Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival 2018. I cannot thank EK enough for all guidance and opportunity they provide me as now I gain more confidence to get out of my comfort zone and excited to experience new things in life.

If you are looking for an internship, I would highly suggest EcoKnights. It provides you proper platform for you to experience the adventure of work life and understand how NGO really works. These amazing people in EK will gladly assist you all the way. Thank you so much to the core team, Nabs, Mok, Em, Jo, Luq and also my bosses Fabs, Yasmin, and Amlir. Thank you so much for the experience. Such an honour to be part of your team. Thank you so much.

MADDY

Time flies so fast in EcoKnights. In just the blink of an eye, my internship came to an end. It has been quite hectic ever since day 1. I have been involved in many different things and I get so much out of these experiences.

I was assigned as a graphic design intern when I was working with EcoKnights. My main tasks are to help the team to make creative contents. Even though I am a mass communication student, I don’t always see myself as a very creative person. Coming into this position, I felt that I lacked confidence about what I could do especially in designing.

But EcoKnights is an amazing place to discover your hidden talent and get a better understanding of your skill sets. The seniors and bosses are always there to guide and give me enough freedom to try new things. End up I have learned a new software, designed a few simple visual collaterals and made a few videos! As this was my first time handling content as a designer, I learned to see things from new perspective too!

One of my accomplishment during internship was creating the promotional video for Kuala Lumpur Eco film festival (KLEFF). I’m really proud to have the opportunity to make a video for the film festival. Unexpectedly this task has built up my confidence and interest in making videos after receiving compliments and encouragements from the seniors.

I really enjoyed the process of making this video, as I had the chance to watch the incredible films submitted by the film makers from all over the world. I felt so sad when I know better about the environmental issues especially those occurring in our country, but at the same time I felt so touched and inspired by the stories and the actions taken. All these films are really worth spreading out for more people to watch!

Besides staring at the screens, I have chances to take part in different interesting events and workshops as well such as being a photographer for tree planting event, helping out at our booth in a green carnival, guiding public in a DIY self-watering system workshop, conducting games and being videographer for Knights of Nature camp and so on!

EcoKnights is a small organization but they manage to coordinate a variety of events (even South East Asia’s largest and longest running film festival) with limited resources. Everyone has a significant and important role to play. During my internship, I have learned a lot about effective time and communication management especially getting people to understand you clearly, work wise and solve the challenges together as a team in a demanding environment.

I always wanted to know how Malaysia’s environmental organisation function and I’m glad I joined and figured it out. It’s really exciting to work together with a bunch of passionate people, striving for a better environment.

Thanks EcoKnights for the experiences! I cherish it and I’m sure our paths will cross again in the near future! Let’s grow better and stronger together!

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Category: Newsletters

Published: Monday, 19 November 2018 19:34

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

The busiest time of the year has come and gone. This gives us, the Knights, some time to reflect back on the last three quarters, and to get started on assessments and reporting while also planning ahead for 2019.

If you were part of the recent KLEFF, I really hoped you had a great time enjoying the films we presented, the range of activities and programs delivered to the public as well as the kind of connection and networking gained. I know I had a wonderful time connecting people, and best of all, moving ahead in charting more positive collaborations to facilitate sustainability initiatives in the country.

This newsletter will bring you some of our recent updates and activities, and we hope that it would bring a strong sense of hope, passion and volunteerism spirit to encourage you to be part of our army of change. We may be a small NGO paving the way for the public to start living sustainability, hence why the power of YOU is critical in ensuring our effort bears the right results and effort for the people and this beautiful planet.

Latest News

A WEEK OF UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE AT 11TH KLEFF 2018!

In its eleventh year, the International Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival (KLEFF) 2018 kick-started from 22nd until 28th October 2018 at Publika Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. Partnering with more than 30 partners, the festival was built on a number of components, providing another week of wholesome eco experience to its visitors.

Here’s a report on the South East Asia’s longest-going eco film festival.

You can view the photos of the festival in the Facebook page.

HSBC VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM IN CLEAN UP PROJECTS WITH ECOKNIGHTS

On the 5th of September, EcoKnights organized a log-boom clean up at the Kerayong River with 40 HSBC volunteers. Up to 172 kg of waste was collected just within 2 hours.

On the 15th of September, 220 HSBC volunteers joined the first ever EcoKnights beach clean-up at Bagan Lalang Beach. With HSBC’s help and enthusiasm, 324kg of garbage was collected. Read more here.

ECOKNIGHTS X BURSA MALAYSIA INVEST IN A GREENER MALAYSIA

On the 2nd of November 2018, Bursa Malaysia Berhad partnered together with EcoKnights to organize Bursa Eco Carnival Day 2018 for the second year running. Bursa Malaysia invested in their staff by raising awareness and encouraging participation for a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle. This is aligned together with their Bursa Corporate Responsibility Framework which encourages their employees to give back and care for the environment.

Check out the activities on during the carnival, joined by the supportive staff!

VANKE HARDWARE INSTALLATION: KNIGHTS GET NEW GADGETS!

Thanks to Vanke Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, new computers and a printer were acquired for EcoKnights office in support of the organizational development. In conjunction with the installation, a team of Vanke staff visited the EcoKnights office.

Other than the hardware and gadget installation, representatives from Vanke had a casual talk session with EcoKnights president Yasmin Rasyid to know more about EcoKnights’ works and roles. They also had a tour in the office and at the nearby community edible garden.

STARBUCKS X ECOKNIGHTS: GREEN LIVES CONTINUED

The collaborative Green Outreach Programme partnership between Starbucks Malaysia and EcoKnights has successfully yielded even more engagements. Two DIY Soap-making Workshops have been conducted at Starbucks Kota Kemuning Drive-Thru and the Plaza Mont Kiara branches.

These workshops showed the public how they can upcycle their supply of used cooking oil that usually ends up in drains and rivers after usage.

Read more about the workshops at Kota Kemuning and Plaza Mont Kiara

Upcoming Events

GAMUDA GARDENS: H2OURS@RHYTHM FIESTA

In collaboration with Gamuda Land and its event Rhythm Fiesta, EcoKnights will be holding the H2Ours at Gamuda Garden this 24th & 25th of November (Saturday & Sunday) from 2pm till 10pm. The water-themed event aims to spread awareness about water conservation through interactive activities such as urban aquaponics, other water-related, vendor exhibition, workshops, and lots of fun!

The EcoKnights team is also calling out for volunteers who are looking for extra experience in the H2Ours.

Volunteer now here!

River Of Life (ROL)

LOG-BOOM CLEAN UP WITH MEDIA AND SOCIAL INFLUENCERS

In conjunction with World River’s Day, another log-boom clean up was conducted at the Gombak River on the 19th of September, this time with the involvement of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and 18 media and social influencers. 87.8 kg of river trash was collected and segregated within a 40-minute session.

There was laughter all around as participants donned some rubber boots and got their hands dirty cleaning our rivers. Among the participants were Syed Azmi, Davina Goh and Syaq Koyok.

Read more here.

VANKE’S CONTINUES TREE-PLANTING INITIATIVE AT BUNUS RIVER

As one of the efforts under the River of Life Public Outreach Programme the EcoKnights, 20 fruit trees were planted along the Bunus River with Vanke Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd.

Eager to know what the fruit trees are? Click the link here.

EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON THE IMPORTANCE OF RIVER CONSERVATION THROUGH A FUN WALK

In conjunction with the global World Rivers Day celebration last week, EcoKnights, together with other partners and sponsors, organized the inaugural Bunus Fun Walk for River 2018. The walk saw about 500 participants walking as far as 3.5 km around the Boyan Retention Pond, where Bunus River flows into Kampung Baru. Besides the walk, multiple sseries of activities were carried out that day. Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Federal Territories, Dr. Shahruddin Mohd. Salleh showed support by launching the event as well as participating in the walk.

Read more about how Bunus Fun Walk can educate the public on river conservation.

STARBUCKS GREEN OUTREACH PROGRAMME – ENGAGING IN COMMUNITY EDIBLE GARDEN

Maintenance for the Taman Ikan Emas Community Edible Garden was carried out on 8th of September to improve the facilities there. The activity received support from the local residences and Starbucks volunteers. Co-founder of EcoKnights Pn. Mariam also taught on how to convert orange skins into useful eco-enzyme. The maintenance ended with the residents happily harvesting the results of their hard work: fresh vegetables.

Check out the harvest at Taman Ikan Emas Community Edible Garden here.

ANUGERAH HIJAU 2018 – EMPOWERING STUDENTS IN EFFICIENT WASTE MANAGEMENT

8 schools from Klang Valley gathered at the final phase of the Anugerah Hijau competition at Publika on 25th October 2018 to present the best waste management system under the River of Life programme. The finalist schools competing are:

1. SMK Darul Ehsan
2. SM Sains Selangor
3. SMK Sains Alam Shah
4. SMK Seri Sentosa
5. SMK Seri Ampang
6. SMK Victoria Institution
7. SMK Dato Lokman
8. SMK Dato Onn

The finalists have gone through several stages from proposal pitch-in, workshop, monthly reporting to site visit evaluation before reaching the finale, guided by their teachers and mentors from EcoKnights, iCycle Malaysia and Green Yards.

Here is the list of the Anugerah Hijau 2018 winners:

1st place: SMK Darul Ehsan

2nd place: SMK Seri Ampang

3rd place: SM Sains Alam ShahEcoKnights would like to congratulate the winning schools as well as the finalists for coming this far in the effort of a better waste management system for a cleaner river. The photos of the Anugerah Hijau competition’s finale can be found here.

In The News

ROLES OF SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND LOCAL COUNCILS IN MAKING SURE STRAWS ARE BANNED

We all know straws are harmful to the environment despite the convenience for consumers. How can we make sure straws aren’t just being banned in our new policy, but also becoming part of the lifestyles of Malaysians?

Check out this television interview with Yasmin Rasyid, President of EcoKnights, on how schools, parents, and local councils can play a role in finally saying no to straws, once and for all.

ECOKNIGHTS ON INTERVIEWS: RIVER CONSERVATION

Catch the interview of Program Director of EcoKnights, Fadly Bakhtiar was in a TV interview together with Tuan Haji Md. Khairi, Director of River Basin Management from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia at TV3’s Malaysia Hari Ini program discussing on World River’s Day.

View it here.

The Bunus Fun Walk that was held in conjunction with World Rivers Day attracted the attention of a lot of people. Prior to the event, EcoKnights president Yasmin Rasyid, who is also the chairperson of Sungai Bunus Action Group, was invited by BFM to their studio to share about the efforts that has gone into the rehabilitation of our rivers.

Let’s listen to the radio interview and understand the government’s efforts better.

With Bunus Fun Walk for River achieving such a great engagement, the event has received great media coverage in different languages. Here, Bernama has published media articles about Bunus Fun Walk 2018 in both Bahasa Malaysia and English.

WORLD RIVERS DAY CELEBRATION, THE 2018 BUNUS FUN WALK FOR RIVER

EcoKnights President Yasmin Rasyid was at Bernama Radio sharing about the Bunus Fun Walk which was held in conjunction with the World Rivers Day.

Let’s find out why Bunus River is so important until attracting massive conservation efforts through the interview.

KLEFF 2018 IN THE NEWS

Catch EcoKnights’ President Yasmin Rasyid and Program Director Fadly Bakhtiar on interviews at BFM, Malay Mail, and Bernama Today to explain what the KLEFF was about and the messages it holds.

What Our Interns Say

Recently two amazing interns served their internship with us and what can we say, they are as always, superb. Let’s have a read on what they have to say about their internship experience with us.

ALI ZULHAZIM

Hi there, I’m Ali Zulhazim from USM Penang and I was an intern in EcoKnights from September till October. Although it was only for two months, my days in EcoKnights were awesome. I have no regret joining the EcoKnights team as I experienced a lot of new things, made new good friends and worked in a very conducive working environment. Being in EcoKnights is not just about making sure our jobs are done. It is beyond that. EcoKnights is a family.

I was always being pushed to my limit, to do things that I am not used to. However, I did not doing this alone. My colleagues were there when I needed them. I was challenged to improve myself and they were there to guide me. And yeah, what does not kill you will make you stronger.

At the end day of my internship, I knew I have improved my self-development a lot. I have learned so many things that will be useful for me in my working life.

Thank you EcoKnights for being a good teacher, family and friends to me.

YANN CHYI

I came into EcoKnights as part of my 3-month internship for my degree course. It’s my first time experiencing work at a residential office and the best thing is we don’t need to wear formal office attire during working period unless we are required to!

I would say that my short time in EcoKnights has played a big part for my growth. I was assigned to intern under Emirul Redzuan (in short, I call him ‘Em’) and work together in the River of Life (ROL) project. It was a wonderful experience for me as I obtained more opportunities to engage with local communities, listen to their needs and help them solve their problems. Other than communities, I was also given the chance to attend meetings with DBKL and partners such as Starbucks Malaysia and Vanke Holdings in which I learnt the importance of KP1 and objectives for every project. Through my involvement in these projects, my communication skill has improved by communicating with people from different levels and backgrounds.

Moreover, I also learnt to be a more organized and disciplined person. By helping Em to organize a few activities such as garden maintenance, tree planting and river clean-up activities, I have learned the importance of logistic management, task delegation as well as the communication within the EcoKnights team. This improved my project management skills a lot as we were faced with limited resources, especially manpower and short period of time to complete a project. I’m so glad to go through these challenges as it pushed me to another level in work management.

Thank you Em for always pushing me to figure out solutions for problems instead of waiting for help. Thank you Fati for always being by my side and showing that positive attitude can change the impossible into something possible. This definitely helped me to improve my problem solving skills which I think is an important skill that needs to be mastered by every individual.

Not forgetting the fun times that we had during the Anugerah Hijau and Knight of Nature camps! I met new friends, went through games and challenges together and the most important is we got closer to our mother nature. This is where I experienced my first camp fire and first walk in the mangrove.

It’s hard to really say goodbye to EcoKnights once you have adapt to the office culture. Every Knight in the office is so caring and is always on standby to support each other. We may have argument sometimes but this actually helped us to grow closer and to know each other better. Like what Mok has said, EcoKnights not just only trained interns, but also individuals. In EcoKnights, you are always given unlimited space to grow.

Once again thank you EcoKnights for giving me the chance to apply my internship here where it turned out to be a perfect experience for me. Thank you to every Knight in the office who were with me and made my days at EcoKnights even better.

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Category: Newsletters

Published: Tuesday, 14 August 2018 15:18

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

July was the month of observing #NoPlastics. As such, EcoKnights was kept pretty much engaged and occupied with various corporate and public awareness and engagement programs to inform, educate and encourage action from general Malaysians on saying #notoplastics.

Having said this, I sure hope that it’s not only in the month of July that we observe this trend; it should be, in my humble opinion, a daily trend.

I am not a tree hugger, neither am I a zero waste-r but I strive daily to make incremental and meaningful changes to be more responsible and sustainable in my efforts to be a better citizen on this big planet we call home.

And I hope this can serve as a sweet and gentle reminder to just give a short at trying. Nothing is easy, but if we don’t try, we won’t know if it’s easy or not.

Here’s wishing all our subscribers and readers a fruitful month ahead. We have several fun programs lined up from the Knights of Nature Sustainability Camp to the southern activation of our flagship program, MBIP Garbage to Garden (G2G). We are also in the midst of working on several initiatives under the River of Life (ROL) national program, in which we provide community-based interventions to support the structural approach of ROL to revive rehabilitate and reconnect rivers in the city centre.

As always, I would love to encourage you to pick a habit this month, a habit in which you are keen to change towards a more holistic and sustainable lifestyle. For me, I’ve decided that for this month, I’m going to drive less, and take more of the MRT to observe lowering my carbon footprint. What’s yours?

Latest News

ECOKNIGHTS IMPACT REPORT 2017

“This is our first Impact Report and I am proud to share our theory of change and the assessment techniques for all our programs that we have initiated and completed in the last year. This report will also share the stories of the beneficiaries of our programs, some of whom have grown with us over the years. I hope that both the stories and the data in this report will prove the value of the work we do.” – Yasmin Rasyid, President of EcoKnights

EcoKnights would like to share the organisation’s Impact Report with the public in order to provide a transparent view of the organisation’s work, programmes, engagements and their impacts through partnerships, collaboration and support from many.

You can view and download the Impact Report 2017 here.

NISSAN NURTURES NATURE: THE SECOND CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN SABAH, SARAWAK AND PAHANG.

Nissan Nurtures Nature Programme has successfully completed their second campaign at the Kuching and Kuantan branches of Edaran Tan Chong Motor showroom and Imago Mall in Kota Kinabalu The campaign consisted of 2 activities – DIY Self-watering System workshop by EcoKnights and Eco Talk.

Read more here to find out about the second Nissan Nurtures Nature campaign in Sabah and Sarawak and the third campaign in Kuantan, Pahang.

IOI SUSTAIN DAY 2018

On the 15th of July 2018, EcoKnights was invited to IOI Sustain Day to conduct a DIY draw-string pouch upcycling workshop with kids. This draw-string pouch is made from rejected linens that were donated to EcoKnights by a local hotel. The objective of this event is to promote sustainable lifestyle and waste minimization.

Click here to read more.

RAISING AWARENESS ON SUSTAINABILITY AT HSBC #ICHOOSEGREEN CARNIVAL

EcoKnights was invited to HSBC’s #IChooseGreen Carnival in an effort to raise awareness and fundraise for important environmental issues.

As an event partner, EcoKnights opened a booth and conducted two film screening sessions. The team presented the organization’s activities as well as promoted green ideas in addition to our products like our DIY eco-enzymes and soaps.

Read more on EcoKnights’ involvement in the carnival.

SELANGOR GARBAGE TO GARDEN (G2G) PROGRAMME: MONITORING PHASE FOUND A POSITIVE PROGRESS BY PARTICIPANTS

Continuing from the Garbage to Garden (G2G) workshops, EcoKnights conducted a monitoring phase with some of the G2G participants’ compost. The site visits covered a total of 7 participants’ houses around Selangor.

The respondents are participants from the G2G composting workshops held in April and May. The respondents were randomly selected by EcoKnights to assist in the data collection regarding their composting project using EcoKnights compost bins sponsored by the Selangor State Government.

Read more on the findings of the monitoring phase and the progress of the G2G participants.

STARBUCKS MALAYSIA GLOBAL MONTH OF SERVICE (GMOS) 2018 – COMPOSTING WORKSHOP WITH STARBUCKS STAFF

On 9th August 2018, we started a lovely morning with a composting workshop with 20 Starbucks Malaysia staff at the Starbucks Coffee Kota Komuning branch. By having hands-on experience through the composting workshop, the staff are able to have a better understanding of backyard composting to contribute to the edible garden in this particular branch.

Click here to read more.

Upcoming Events

MHB KNIGHTS OF NATURE (KON) 2018

The MHB Knights of Nature has closed its application and will be conducted from 16th – 19th August 2018 at Tanjung Piai. All successful applicants have been contacted via email and phone to be informed about their application.

The camp will be hosting 40 students to gain educational tools and hands-on skills in managing projects related to maritime and community.

Do check out the camp updates on EcoKnights’ Facebook.

BUNUS FUN WALK 4 RIVER 2018 (WORLD RIVER’S DAY)

In conjunction with World River’s Day on 29th September 2018, EcoKnights, along with Local Agenda 21 and DBKL, all part of the Sungai Bunus Action Group will be working together to raise awareness amongst the participants and public on issues related to river pollution through the River of Life (Sungai Bunus Restoration Project).

Join us in spreading awareness towards taking environmental responsibility to treasure rivers. For this campaign, we need 1000 people to support this effort to raise funds for the Sungai Bunus Action Group to create more suitable programmes for the community of Sungai Bunus.

EcoKnights will organise the Bunus Fun Walk 4 River 2018 campaign together with LA21 Kuala Lumpur and other partners. This year, the Walk 4 River campaign will be held on:

Date: Saturday, 29th September 2018

Time: 6.30 am to 10.00 am

Venue: Bunus River Retention Pond, Kuala Lumpur (near the National Library of Malaysia)

Ticket:

• Individual – RM 30 (inclusive of a goodie bag)
• Corporate Package – RM 500 for 10 pax (inclusive of a free gift per participant, 1 tree to plant along the riverbank of Sungai Bunus and a plaque of appreciation for each respective group.)

Come and join us. Register here!

River Of Life (ROL)

STARBUCKS MALAYSIA GLOBAL MONTH OF SERVICE (GMOS) 2018 – COMMUNITY EDIBLE GARDEN MAINTENANCE AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

On 14th of July 2018, we had spent a wonderful morning with residents from Taman Ikan Emas and volunteers from Starbucks Malaysia for a community workshop and garden maintenance at the community garden of the residential area.

Click here to read further on the Starbucks GMoS community project for the Taman Ikan Emas residents.

VANKE TREE-PLANTING INITIATIVE 2018

On Friday the 10th of August 2018, EcoKnights planted three different tree species together with Vanke Holdings and students from Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah at Taman Halimahton, Kuala Lumpur, along the Klang River.

Click here to read more on the initiative programme.

In The News

HOW ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EMPOWERS YOUTHS TODAY THROUGH ATTITUDINAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGE

Check out the interview with EcoKnights director, Fadly Bakhtiar, who spoke about environmental education and how it empowers youths through attitudinal and behavioral change.

Knights’ Voices

MY PARENTS’ JOURNEY TOWARDS ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE

Every person’s zero-waste journey is different from one another. No matter how different it is, it’s the effort and process that counts.

“Mom, I left my shopping bag at home, did you bring one?” I asked frantically in the supermarket. My mother, a housewife who loves to garden, proudly pulled out her large foldable shopping bag while saying, “I knew that this bag would come in handy, I always have one on standby for shopping.”

This kind of situation has become part of our lives – bringing our own shopping bags whenever we go out to buy things. A few years ago, while I was still in university, my parents and I used to shop with plastic bags despite the 20-cents charge for a plastic bag.

Continue reading here.

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Published: Tuesday, 10 July 2018 08:31

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

As we usher in the month of July, we have seen a dramatic and big shift in the country’s governance. Some call it a new beginning, some call it an indication of people power and for people like me in the environmental NGO sector, I remain quite unsure. The change in our government may potentially change the environmental landscape in the country. For the better or worse, we are unsure however of course, fingers crossed, sustainable development can be further emphasized all across the government sectors. It’s a new dawn, a new day and for EcoKnights, the government of the day may have change, there is still a lot more to address, now more so than ever, to advance and accelerate the implementation and operationalization of the Sustainable Development Goals, and build sustainable businesses, entrepreneurs and leaders in the country.

As we brave forward, our programs and activities have intensified and progressed in Q2. We have several social responsibility programs and campaigns lined up in partnership with the country’s shakers and movers. Anugerah Hijau, our flagship environmental education program is focused on building the capacities of the young finalists in greening their schools and reducing the school’s environmental impact on city rivers. As I type this, the Knights are also busy curating the programs, activities and film screenings for the international Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival (KLEFF). Meanwhile, our 2017 Impact Report is currently in the final process of being published.

Have a great July and let us all play a positive and constructive role in advancing sustainable living for a better Malaysia.

Latest News

SELANGOR GARBAGE TO GARDEN PROGRAMME 2018 WRAPS UP ITS SERIES OF WORKSHOPS

The first phase of the Selangor Garbage to Garden (G2G) Programme 2018 ended its fifth workshop at Lake Edge Residencies. Over 100 participants joined the workshops for training and were provided compost bins to practise composting as part of their lifestyle.

Read more on the next few workshops conducted for G2G.

• 2nd G2G Workshop in EcoKnights
• G2G Workshop with Taman Putra Prima

WASTE ASSESSMENT IN PULAU SIBU AND PULAU TINGGI, JOHOR WITH MALAYSIA (MY3)

From the 16th to the 18th of May 2018, EcoKnights was invited to conduct a waste assessment survey on two islands, Pulau Sibu and Pulau Tinggi located on the east coast of Johor. The waste assessment was conducted under the Community Understanding and Management of Dugong and Seagrass Resources in Johor, Malaysia (MY3) project.

Read more on the waste assessment done on the two islands.

NISSAN NURTURES NATURE IN BAYAN LEPAS DAN BATU PAHAT

From June until August, EcoKnights is collaborating with Edaran Tan Chong Motor for the Nissan Nurtures Nature Campaign. The first campaign was launched simultaneously at Bayan Lepas (Penang) and Batu Pahat (Johor) from 23rd – 24th June. Two activities were conducted in the campaign – EcoTalk and Herb Plantation.

Click here to read more about the June campaign.

PROJECT H20 CONTINUES WITH IMPROVING WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM

Rain and shine didn’t stop the second phase of Project H20 under the collaboration of EcoKnights, Aveda, Build for Tomorrow and Allianz on 23rd June 2018. With the help of 7 volunteers, the project successfully improved the distribution pipes scattered around the village grounds at Kampung Orang Asal Air Kuning by filling them with concrete to strengthen them.

Check out the Project H20 Phase 2 here.

Upcoming Events

MHB KNIGHTS OF NATURE (KON) 2018

Missed out on our previous MHB Knights of Nature (KON) Sustainability camps? The 2018 camp is back now! Registration is now open at http://bit.ly/mhbkon2018application (LIMITED TO 40 PARTICIPANTS ONLY – APPLICATION DEADLINE 20 JULY 2018 – FULLY SPONSORED CAMP!)

What will you gain?

1. Knowledge, skills and capacity developed and enhanced to design, plan and implement environmental or community initiatives
2. Enhanced critical thinking, problem solving and team working abilities in providing sustainable solutions to communities.
3. Development of leadership skills and talent through camp team learning and experiences.
4. Networking among peers and prolific speakers and influencers

MHB KON 2018

Date: 16-19 August 2018 (4-day/3-night)

Venue: Tanjung Piai, Pontian, Johor

Participants: 40 youths (18-25 years old)

APPLY HERE

River Of Life (ROL)

In conjunction with Ramadhan month, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS), ERE Consultant Group, Malaysian Agriculture Settlement (MAS) and EcoKnights together organized a campaign called Beg2Bekas, aimed to reduce single-plastic usage throughout the Ramadhan Bazar.

Read more on the 14-day campaign at Bazaar Jalan Raja Uda, Kampung Baru.

STARBUCKS MALAYSIA’S GREEN OUTREACH PROGRAMME: BACKYARD COMPOSTING WORKSHOP

On 27th May 2018, the first community workshop of Starbucks Malaysia’s Green Outreach Programme was completed with success at Rumah Panjang Taman Ikan Emas. This was the first community workshop after the launching of the community edible garden, hence serving as an opportunity to teach them in making organic fertilizer from their daily food and garden wastes.

The composting workshop can be read more here.

In The News

PROJECT RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) – BEG2BEKAS CAMPAIGN

Check out the interviews on the Beg2Bekas Campaign as part of the River of Life community engagement:

• Isu pencemaran plastik semakin membimbangkan by Astro Awani
• Bernama News Channel of the #RiverofLife #BegtoBekas program by Bernama News Channel
• Kutipan sampah di Sungai Klang mencecah 10 tan sebulan by Astro Awani
• The Beg2Bekas Initiative – An interview with Nabila Shohimi and Emirul Redzuan by CapitalTV

INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT YASMIN RASYID ON CHALLENGES IN GREEN LIFESTYLE

Click here to watch the video interview with EcoKnights’ President, Yasmin Rasyid on sharing her points of view on the various challenges faced by communities in adopting a green lifestyle.

What Our Interns Say

SYAZWAN

Find out what our previous intern, Syazwan, has to say about her experience in our internship programme.

“It has been a really great experience to work with the EcoKnights team. The working environment is really supportive and help the interns in becoming someone who is more reliable. Read more…

Knights’ Voices

RAMADHAN AND GREEN LIFESTYLE

by Syazwan Latiwf

Ramadhan is a special month in the Islamic calendar. It is not only about the fasting month, but it is also a great opportunity for everyone to be a better person because as a Muslim, we believe that various rewards are offered by the Almighty Allah in this glorious month. That’s why Ramadhan is familiar to be called as Madrasah (school) Ramadhan because it is a period for ourselves to learn on how to be a better person again.

As a Muslim, we are supposed to take a good care of this planet and it is our responsibility to ensure that the resources and environment are used in a sustainable manner.

Continue reading

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Category: Newsletters

Published: Monday, 28 May 2018 11:32

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, and the country will definitely be on board an exciting journey ahead. As we brace the new government, EcoKnights will be advocating for more sustainability-based solutions, engagements and activities for the people of the country. Over the past week, we have seen how transitions can happen overnight when a crisis hits us. This rings the same for the environment.

In the past month, we have been gearing up for the Garbage to Garden (G2G) program, engaging the public to participate in our workshops, and to motivate and inspire our participants to take action by initiating zero kitchen waste initiatives at home. We have some interesting stories to share on the outcomes of these workshops.

We continue to engage with the business sector through our social responsibility efforts through some change transformation activities. This involves engaging with the industry’s working force in enhancing their awareness on sustainable living, and creating opportunities for them to indulge and take active roles in sustainable living through our capacity building and skills development workshops. A heartfelt thank you to Kenanga Investment Bank, AVEDA Malaysia, Starbucks Malaysia, and also the business partners of the River of Life (Sungai Bunus) Local Agenda 21 for believing in the work we do, and for choosing to collaborate with us in driving through sustainability in the country.

Now, if YOU are keen to play a direct role in supporting EcoKnights and our work, it’s made easier now through our Tanamera Hearts fundraising program. For every pack of Tanamera Hearts (only at RM99) purchased from EcoKnights or at Tanamera Tropical Spa Products outlet, 50% of the proceeds from the sales will be channelled to continuously support EK’s community education and awareness programs. And I like to end with a quote from Rachel Carson, who has been one of the most influential figures in my life, in which she said, “The more clearly we focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction”.

Latest News

AVEDA EARTH MONTH 2018 CAMPAIGN

In conjunction with Earth Month, EcoKnights collaborated with Aveda Malaysia to organise the Aveda Earth Month 2018 Campaign to raise funds for the installation of water filtration systems for the Temuan Orang Asal Community of Air Kuning, Shah Alam. The fund is raised through two activities – Charity Cut-A-Thon and Charity Yoga4Water

Click here to read more on the 3-day fundraising event..

ECOKNIGHTS IN COLLABORATION WITH KENANGA INVESTMENT BANK FOR KENANGA EARTH MONTH PROGRAMME – GREEN AT WORK

Throughout the month of April, in conjunction with Kenanga Earth Month, EcoKnights has collaborated with Kenanga Investment Bank to condct a series of Eco Workshops as well as working with UTM Kuala Lumpur to contribute to the university’s edible garden at Sungai Bunus riverine area.

Read more on the event here.

SELANGOR GARBAGE TO GARDEN PROGRAMME 2018 KICKS OFF WITH ITS FIRST WORKSHOP

The first batch of Selangor Garbage to Garden (G2G) Programme participants geared up for their composting journey through G2G’s first workshop. The participants were also provided with compost bin as a support for their initiative to start composting.

Read more on the first G2G workshop here.

Upcoming Events

GARBAGE TO GARDEN PROGRAMME 2018

Garbage to Garden (G2G) is back for the second time! This year, in collaboration with the Selangor State government, EcoKnights is organizing the G2G campaign that acts as a platform to educate the public about backyard composting food waste and raise awareness about how we can put food waste to a good use. If you’re a Selangor resident interested to start composting, find out more on how to be part of G2G. Registration ends on 18th May 2018. For inquiry, you can contact iqbal@ecoknights.org.my.

ROL:POP – BAG2BEKAS (B2B) CAMPAIGN

Ramadhan month is around the corner and everyone is excited for the delicious food in Ramadhan bazaars. To encourage the public to bring their own bags and containers to take away their food, EcoKnights will be launching the Bag2Bekas (B2B) Campaign under the River of Life. The campaign will take place everyday from 21st May until 10th June at Kampung Raja Uda bazaar at Kampung Baru KL.

Containers* will be given out to the public while those who bring their own bags or containers can redeem a prize for every 10 stamps.

For more information, you can contact farhana.shukor@ecoknights.org.my or emirul@ecoknights.org.my.

ZERO KITCHEN WASTE WORKSHOP #4: COMPOSTING & EFFECTIVE MICROBE

The Zero Kitchen Waste Series will be continuing with its third workshop on converting used cooking oil into soaps on 12th May from 10am – 11.30am.

You can refer to the calendar on the poster to find out the workshop available on each month.

Registration starts on 1st April, for more information, please contact Nabila at 03-77318361 or nabila@ecoknights.org.my.

River Of Life (ROL)

PROJECT RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) – GREEN OUTREACH PROGRAM AT PERUMAHAN AWAM RUMAH PANJANG IKAN EMAS

Under the new collaboration with Starbucks Malaysia for their Global Month of Service (GMoS) 2018, a community edible garden at Perumahan Awam Rumah Panjang Ikan Emas was launched successfully under the Green Outreach Program on 21st April 2018.

Seven species of vegetation – tomato, eggplant, chili, okra, long bean, turmeric, and lemongrass were planted in the garden for the community’s usage in the future. Find out more on the event here.

If you are interested in edible or community garden projects, you can inquire through info@ecoknights.org.my.

PROJECT RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN CAR FREE MORNING

The River of Life (ROL) team participated in the Car Free Morning on the 6th of May to engage with the public regarding ROL. This time EcoKnights member demonstrated about composting and Eco-Enzyme for the public who are keen to do these sustainable practices. Besides, we also doing survey regarding river awareness and perception as well as ROL project awareness.

The engagement outcomes are:

Awareness

• Information on River of Life
• Awareness in composting and Eco-Enzyme

Participation

• 20 participants joined the composting and Eco-Enzyme workshop
• 15 registration for updates on ROL
• 48 responses in social survey on river and ROL project awareness

For more information on ROL, you can contact our officer Mr Emirul at 03-77318361 or emirul@ecoknights.org.my.

What Our Interns Say

JIA QI

“In my rather short experience of the working world I can say that the working environment at EcoKnights is by far the best I have encountered. Read more…

MY ENVIRONMENT MY RESPONSIBILITY

by Fong Jia Qi
The environment has become a hot topic of discussion and debate, on all public platforms. The more the discussions, the higher the awareness, and the polluted the earth becomes. Isn’t it a thing to ponder about? While we discuss so much about environmental issues and pour in a lot of environmental effort, the Earth unfortunately continues weakening. The Earth is a beautiful living planet of the Universe as a habitat for more than 7 billion humans & millions of other species. Our Earth provides us with food, shelter & most of our necessities. Continue reading

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

Category: Newsletters

Published: Tuesday, 24 April 2018 18:48

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

The month of April calls for a lot of global environmental celebrations and as part of our continuous effort to mobilize Malaysians to adopt sustainable living, we too have jumped on this global bandwagon and have loads of fun and engaging public environmental programs lined up. Three of our biggest efforts related to water accessibility, river rehabilitation and community-based environmental efforts, are all taking place this month on April 21st 2018. The programs are the Aveda Yoga for Water and Cut-a-thon, our collaboration with Starbucks Malaysia in the Global Outreach Program, and also our effort with Sungai Bunus Working Committee in engaging Kenanga employees in urban farming activities.

When I reflect on the last 12 years and on how far EcoKnights has come, and the kind of programs we have initiated and completed, with a wide group of donors and collaborators, it does really bring to attention the importance of Sustainable Development Goals 17, “partnership for the SDGs”. One of the outcomes of us operationalizing SDG17 can be clearly witnessed from our increasing numbers of partners over the years, and the amazing outcomes that we have created for social, economic and environmental benefits to the public. It could be due to EcoKnights’ theory of change which our partners believe in or resonate with, or perhaps it could be the capabilities of the organization’s team; either way, it is very clear that great partnerships create great sustainability efforts.

As you are aware the 11th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival is coming up soon, and so is our Knights of Nature Sustainability Camp, and to be honest, we have quite a number of environmental mobilization efforts coming up soon, and I would love to invite you to talk to us to explore how you, or your organization can plug in to our efforts, scale it up or enhance its impacts through great partnerships and collaborations. Our doors are open to enhance your organizations social responsibility effort to meet the efforts of the SDGs!

Latest News

PUBLIKA EARTH MONTH AND MAPFEST 2018

In collaboration with Publika for Earth Month and MAPFEST 2018, EcoKnights successfully held a series of activities – Green Market, eco workshop and local performances from 24th March until 1st April at Publika Shopping Gallery.

Click here to read more.

TREE-PLANTING TOGETHER WITH EDOTCO GROUP SDN BHD

On Saturday the 24th of March 2018, EcoKnights planted three different tree species together with edotco Group Sdn Bhd at the Sungai Bunus retention area. Trees were planted to make the area greener and more attractive for recreation under the River of Life programme.

Read more on the event here.

If you would like to conduct tree-planting or river community service activities, you can inquire through info@ecoknights.org.my.

DIALOGUE SESSION FOR RIVER OF LIFE PROGRAMME PHASE 3A WITH HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

EcoKnights together with Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia (JPS) and ERE Consulting Group (ERE) have conducted a dialogue session on at the River Basin Management Division JPS which was attended by representatives from 4 educational institutes – Kolej Universiti Poly-Tech MARA Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Institut Latihan Perindustrian and Kolej Teknologi Antarabangsa Cybernetics.

Click here to read more on the dialogue session.

Upcoming Events

GARBAGE TO GARDEN PROJECT 2018

Garbage to Garden (G2G) is back for the second time! This year, in collaboration with the Selangor State government, EcoKnights is organizing the G2G campaign that acts as a platform to educate the public about backyard composting food waste and raise awareness about how we can put food waste to good use. If you’re a Selangor resident interested in starting composting, find out more on how to be part of G2G.

ZERO KITCHEN WASTE WORKSHOP #4: COMPOSTING & EFFECTIVE MICROBE

The Zero Kitchen Waste Series will be continuing with its third workshop on converting used cooking oil into soaps on 12th May from 10am – 11.30am.

You can refer to the calendar on the poster to find out the workshop available each month.

Registration starts on 1st April, for more information, please contact Nabila at 03-77318361 or nabila@ecoknights.org.my.

River Of Life (ROL)

PROJECT RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) – PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN CAR FREE MORNING

The River of Life (ROL) team participated in April’s Car Free Morning on the 1st and 15th of April to engage with the public regarding ROL.

The engagement outcomes are:

Awareness

• Information on River of Life
• Awareness in recycling used cooking oil into soap and candle

For more information on ROL, you can contact our officer Mr Emirul at 03-77318361 or emirul@ecoknights.org.my.

Participation

• ROL snake-and-ladder game
• 90 registration for updates on ROL
• Social survey on clean water supply

Knights’ Voices

A SHORT CONTEXTUALIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM IN MODERN SOCIETY

by Zafran Zahari

Racism isn’t just about race superiority or the criminal justice system. It’s in the air and water. Environmental racism is not a term that the majority of people are familiar with. Environmental racism is a concept that has been around for a few decades. It involves race, economics, health and a lot more. Some of us are privileged enough to get up in the morning and take a breath of fresh, clean air, and further turn on the tap and drink clean, uncontaminated water. But not everyone is privileged in this country or even around the world, for that matter. It seems that a disproportionate number of people who live in environmentally hazardous areas are either minority groups or people of low socioeconomic status. Therefore, environmental racism is the placement of environmental hazards into areas with high numbers of minority individuals or economically destitute populations. Continue reading

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.

Published: Friday, 23 March 2018 18:41

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT OF ECOKNIGHTS, YASMIN RASYID.

The month of February was such a fun yet hectic period for us. EcoKnights launched the 10th edition of our school environmental program and competition, Anugerah Hijau (Green Awards) in which the theme this year is to focus on reducing a school’s impact on river systems. We are anxious to see and hear from our young aspiring Malaysians on their ideas on how their schools can be better river guardians of the country. Do head over to the Anugerah Hijau website to find out more and if you’re keen to support this as part of your CSR, we are always keen to explore.

In that same week as the Anugerah Hijau launch, we also organized a symposium called “Sustainable Mining Development and Practices in Malaysia” as part of our collaboration with University Malaya, Waseda University, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia under the support of the W-Bridge. We had a full house of participants and a range of speakers from the mining industry, academia and NGO sector. You can click here to view the pictures. In this symposium, EcoKnights presented a paper on their findings on the perception of Malaysians on the mining sector. You can view the key findings and results here. Our next steps would be to provide more outreach to the public on mining development in the country through our established relationship with certain mining industry leaders. So do stay tune to this space for updates on our extension work on sustainable mining development in the country.

Meanwhile, as we move on to March, I’d like to share with you that our efforts to support and promote Sustainable Development Goals 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Production, is moving ahead with the revival of our annual Green Market platform. Featuring close to 60 businesses and NGOs that are promoting SDG 12, they will be showcasing their products and services at Publika from 24th March until 1st April 2018. Head to the FB event to find out more on the participants of the Green Market, and it helps you plan your responsible shopping experience as well.

Here’s wishing you a great end to March and a wonderful start to April. Subscribe to our social media platforms today if you haven’t so and be updated on our small local efforts, and we hope you will join us by plugging in to our outreach efforts.

Latest News

RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) EDUCATION IN SURVIVAL CHARITY RUN

On 24 February 2018, EcoKnights educated more people through a large and interactive river-themed ‘snake and ladder’ game Survival Charity Run that was held at the Perdana Botanical Garden, organized by Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL). Read more on the participation.

PROJECT H2O AIR KUNING: PHASE 1 WAS A SUCCESS

Continuing EcoKnights’ partnership with AVEDA Malaysia in its third year, the first phase of Project H2O Air Kuning was launched on 24th February 2018. This project is under the collaboration between EcoKnights, Aveda and Build For Tomorrow. Phase One of the project achieved its target to supply the Temuan community of Kampung Orang Asal Air Kuning a source of water for the time being whereas the implementation of a filtration system will take place during Phase Two of the project, which will be held in April 2018. Read more on what the volunteers did for this project with a good cause.

Check out how you can help Project H2O in conjunction with AVEDA Earth Month 2018.

CALLING FOR INTERNS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

EcoKnights provides internship programmes for students or graduates interested to learn and train themselves in community engagement and the environmental field. The interns are trained to develop themselves in various skills such as project management, communication, social research/study and writing, to name a few. EcoKnights is currently offering spaces for graphic design interns.

If you are:

1. Passionate about environmental issues
2. A creative individual
3. Up for challenges
4. An awesome team player

Please send your resume (including a cover letter) to us at interns@ecoknights.org.my.

Have a read of our past graphic intern, Luqman, as he tells his journey of creatives in EcoKnights.

A SYMPOSIUM ON SUSTAINABLE MINING DEVELOPMENT AND PRACTICES

From 1st March until 3rd March, EcoKnights together with Waseda University embarked on a 3-day journey consisting of mining-related projects under the Waseda-Bridgestone Initiative – The Symposium on Sustainable Mining Development and Practices; W-Bridge Initiative Tree-Planting and a knowledge-sharing visit with Spring Energy Sdn Bhd.

Click here to read more on the second project by EcoKnights and Waseda University.

Upcoming Events

PUBLIKA EARTH MONTH AND MAPFEST 2018

In collaboration with Publika, EcoKnights will be organizing the signature Green Market, community workshops and performance in conjunction with Earth Month and MAPFEST 2018 to promote public awareness towards environmental and sustainability living.

Date: 24th March – 1st April

Time: 12pm – 10pm

Venue: Publika Shopping Gallery

Come and support our 43 local vendors championing eco-friendly products and services at the Red Zone and Blue Zone of Publika, ranging from beauty products, green technology to food and beverage.

If you are looking for fun workshops on sustainable living, you can refer to the schedule below and register here. We will be offering workshops on sustainable living practices like composting, permaculture eco-enzymes and more!

Stay tuned in the event page for more updates prior to the event.

—-

AVEDA EARTH MONTH 2018

In its third year partnership, AVEDA Malaysia will be working together with EcoKnights to educate and empower the general public on issues related to water accessibility, pollution and water availability through Project H2O. Join us in spreading awareness towards taking environmental responsibility to treasure water.

This year’s campaign will focus on raising funds through various activities in the period of the 16th to 22nd April 2018. Amongst the activities that the public can join to support this cause are the Charity Cut-A-Thon (20th April 2018) and the Charity Yoga4Water (22nd April 2018) session. To know more about this campaign and how you can participate, read more here or contact Zafran at 03-77318361 or zafran@ecoknights.org.my. For registration, you can click here.

—-

ZERO KITCHEN WASTE WORKSHOP #3: DIY SOAP-MAKING FROM USED COOKING OIL

The Zero Kitchen Waste Series will be continuing with its third workshop on converting used cooking oil into soaps on 14th April from 10am – 11.30am.

You can refer to the calendar on the poster to find out the workshop available on each month.

Registration starts on 23rd March, for more information, please contact Nabila at 03-77318361 or nabila@ecoknights.org.my.

River Of Life (ROL)

PROJECT RIVER OF LIFE (ROL) – LAUNCHING CEREMONY FOR THE 10TH ANUGERAH HIJAU

On 27 February 2018, the 10th edition of Anugerah Hijau was successfully launched at Taman Dusun Bandar (Urban Orchard Park) Hall Kuala Lumpur by the Assistant Director of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Mr. Mohd Asmadi Bin Haji Awang Senik. The launch was witnessed by EcoKnights, partners as well as 35 school representatives that are located nearby the basin of Kerayong River and Klang River. Read more on the event here.

To know more Anugerah Hijau and how secondary schools in Klang Valley can participate as a zero trash school, you can contact our officer Mr Emirul at 03-77318361 or emirul@ecoknights.org.my.

In The News

RIVER GUARDIANS – THE 2018 ANUGERAH HIJAU SCHOOL PROGRAM

Tune in to Traxx.fm’s interview with EcoKnights president Yasmin Rasyid to find out how EcoKnights is inspiring youths to be river guardians.

GREEN MARKET AS A PLATFORM TO PROMOTE SDG12

Tune in to Traxx.fm’s interview with EcoKnights Programme Director Fadly Bakhtiar and Project Woodwork’s Wallace as they spoke about SDG12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, and how they are playing their part in it.

Knights’ Voices

THE E-WASTE CRISIS

by Saima Islam

Technology has become so integral to our lives that we mindlessly use and dispose of them end to forget about the consequences it has on our environment. The material consequence of our daily use of technology is e-waste. Any form of discarded electronic objects are considered as e-waste. When e-waste is not recycled or processed properly, they end up in the landfills where it is eventually burnt down and the material present in these objects toxify the air and seep their way into the water bodies. … continue reading

What Our Interns Say

RIZAN FAIZ

Find out what our previous interns, Rizan Faiz has to say about his experience in our internship programme.

About Tanamera Hearts – A Tripartite Partnership to Benefit Community and The Environment.

Tanamera Hearts is a tripartite smart partnership among Tanamera, The Good Shop and EcoKnights. The aim of this collaboration is to achieve dual goals of improving the livelihood of beneficiaries from marginalised communities and to achieve sustainable environmental development for local communities through entrepreneurism.

Tanamera Hearts comprise of an aromatherapy stone, and a bottle of essential oil, packed in a beautiful dark blue travel case produced by the beneficiaries of the Good Shop. Tanamera Hearts is a perfect gift for loved ones, and also a great travel item if you would love to be surrounded by familiar aromatherapy scents. You can choose from a variety of essential oils to use with the aromatherapy stone.

About EcoKnights

EcoKnights is a non-for-profit environmental organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Malaysia. EcoKnights’ core focus areas are in environmental education and awareness using innovative and creative platforms. More information about EcoKnights can be obtained from www.ecoknights.org.my.

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

To ensure you get our latest news, add news@ek-newsletter.com to your address book.