Greening earth with DIY and team work

Malaysia got a little greener for World Environment Day, thanks to a home improvement retailer’s collaborative efforts with NGOs and the community.

The initiatives comprised planting mangrove saplings in Perak, tapir conservation activities in Selangor and a workshop for children in Kuala Lumpur, undertaken by MR DIY Group (M) Bhd.

In Changkat Keruing, Perak, 31 volunteers from MR DIY Cares alongside those from Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) and the local community planted 1,000 mangrove saplings along the Mangrove Riverbank Park to highlight their importance as protectors of the coastal ecosystem.

In Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, 15 MR DIY Cares volunteers visited the Sungai Dusun Wildlife Conservation Centre, which cares for the Malayan tapir.

They helped transform the centre by painting a mural of tapirs, planting flowers and contributing essentials.

“These activities are part of our continuous efforts to ensure the sustainability of our natural environment.

“We firmly believe that homegrown organisations should play an active role in educating Malaysians on the importance of sustainable practices, so that we can positively impact the rakyat and our country in meaningful ways and at the same time encourage others to follow suit,” a MR DIY spokesperson said in a statement.

Volunteers painted the mural at Sungai Dusun Wildlife Conservation Centre and are seen here preparing the ground for planting.

In Kuala Lumpur, a MR DIY Plus store hosted a “walk with style” workshop, which offered children as well as adults the opportunity to get creative through upcycling white school shoes, canvas tote bags and mirrors.

Through the not-for-profit Soroptimist International Damansara (SID), the retailer also invited 15 participants from Rumah Aman Children’s Home for the event.

MR DIY’s past green efforts included upgrading the Sungai Kedondong recreational area and cleaning up the Melaka riverfront together with the Melaka River and Coastal Development Corporation.

The retail group also stepped up for nature by joining Yayasan Telekom Malaysia and Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa to plant more than 1,000 trees in Putrajaya Botanical Garden in just 24 hours.

MR DIY was admitted to the FTSE4Good Index 2021, a reflection of its efforts to continuously make a positive impact on the communities in which it operates, while it was also recognised with an ESG (environmental, social and governance) award for its sustainability efforts.