The Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Kuching and UCSI University Sarawak Campus successfully organized an event named “Plogging at Green Isthmus 2024” on Saturday, 27th July 2024. A second one of its kind, UCSI University Sarawak Campus community together with Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU), Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn. Bhd., UCSI Kuching Hotel, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Kuching, Rabbit Toastie, Edon Pharmacy and Balai Polis Gita took part in this event.
Group photo of all the participants before the event starts.
Plogging is a combination of jogging and picking up rubbish which is gaining popularity all around the world. It started as an organized activity in Sweden around 2016 and spread to other countries in 2018. The objectives of this plogging activity are to increase awareness on environment preservation and promote good health and well-being amongst the Isthmus community as well as contribute towards the beautification of the Isthmus area.
During the plogging activity, participants collected 95 kg of trash along the 3 kilometers’ stretch of road of the Isthmus areas which covered Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK), Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB), Marine Department Sarawak Region, Sarawak Development Economic Corporation, Lembaga Pembangunan dan Lindungan Tanah (PELITA) and the buildings around the Isthmus. Various trash was collected during the event including plastic bottles, cigarette butts, plastic bottle caps, plastic bags, straws, aluminum cans, syringes, food wrappers and even bottles filled with urine were found around the area. This has educated the participants, raised awareness amongst them about trash issues along the roadsides and hopefully will motivate more actions from the public and other agencies on educational transformational initiatives resulting in mind-set changes and heightened awareness on sustainability issues.
Besides cleaning along the Isthmus area, the objectives of the event were to engage with various communities in instilling the importance of keeping the area rubbish-free and enjoying a green sustainable city. RCE Kuching will also continuously work with the council and other agencies to educate communities and support sustainability initiatives for a thriving Kuching.
The RCE Kuching Chairperson, Mdm. Mukvinder Sandhu praised all of the participants and the co-supporters on their commitment and continuous efforts. She also encourages pedestrians and road users of Isthmus area to keep Isthmus rubbish-free a place which houses one of the Kuching iconic buildings, the BCCK, by stopping unscrupulous littering. All be it individual or organisations, can make a difference through making small habit changes.
Participants picking up the rubbish in action.