One pot at a time for better planet

FIVE students from Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), Setapak, continued their work for the environment by holding a recycling event called “One Pot at a Time”.

The two-day event with TAR UMT Green Society aimed to encourage tree planting.

Students Cha Yi Teng, Lim Wan Ying, Tan Hui Theng, Ng Mei Qian (all aged 22) and Yap Yi Joo, 23, spearheaded the event as winners of Watsons Youth Empowerment & Sustainability (YES) Programme.

During the programme, the group helped to process plastic bottles into small pots to hold succulents.

The plants were then given to visitors donating any sum of money or at least three plastic bottles at the TAR UMT event.

Donors contributing RM8 or more also received lavender shower gel from Watsons as a token of appreciation.

Cha said the event was held following the success of the first one at Boulevard located between Sunway University and Sunway College.

Visitors snapping photos of the cute pots of succulents.

“About 400 pots of succulents were distributed in two days at the Boulevard event,” Cha added.

Encouraged by this achievement, they decided to expand the initiative to TAR UMT.

On the first day, 220 pots of succulents were given out, with about 200 more finding new homes the following day.

TAR UMT students expressed support for the cause, with many citing the appeal of succulents and desire to contribute to environmental conservation as their motivation for taking part.

Low Zihin, 22, said he was attracted by the little pots of succulents.

“I recently started to plant succulents as a hobby,” he added.

Another student Ang Ley Oon, 22, said she had been looking for a way to support green initiatives.

“Now I can contribute and get a cute plant in return,” she said.

TAR UMT Faculty of Social Science and Humanities lecturer Yogerisham Panir Silvam said he donated at this event as a way of protecting nature.

“Much of the environment has been destroyed over the years so let’s go green and breathe clean,” he said.