The 2017 Toyota Eco Youth (TEY) programme was launched today, marking another year of environmental activities with the overriding theme to reduce carbon footprint by students from selected school in Malaysia. This would be done through inculcating skills amongst student to care for the environment and to lessen the impact of climate change.
Since its inception in 2001, UMW Toyota Motor had spent more than RM6 million for the programme which enabled students to develop both technical and soft skills in finding solutions to environment protection. As part of its CSR program, the company engages in educating the youth in secondary schools by enabling them to become ambassadors in advocating environmental sustainability for better quality of life.
Looking at the current environment scenario, the company sees that the reduction in carbon footprint is an important step as most people do not realize that their own activities are in fact carbon footprints that are contributing towards various environmental issues arising nowadays. This has prompted UMWT to adopt Reduction of Carbon Footprint as the theme for this year’s programme.
UMW Toyota Motor has taken impactful measures by installing solar panels at its assembly plant to reduce electricity consumption. The company has introduced new methods in waste water management and encouraged planting more trees surrounding its compound.
“On global basis, Toyota Motor Corporation established the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which identified six key environmental issues to be tackled in the next three decades such as CO2 reduction, water usage optimization and establishing societies that practice recycling and earth-friendly culture”, said Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMWT.
Meanwhile, the President of UMWT, Ravindran Kurusamy, said “This Toyota Eco Youth programme inculcates amongst younger generation, the need to engage in environmentally sustainable activities. The lessons they learn here will be useful when they make decisions as future leaders of the country.”
The statement was supported by Dato’ Sri Khairil Awang, Deputy Director General of Education Malaysia in his speech, “It is important for our students and youth to understand the impact of poorly managed environment and to be proactive in handling environmental issues. We need to take charge of the carbon footprint by being conscious of our consumption of electricity, chemical and use of fossil fuel and also by preserving our greens.”
The Toyota Eco Youth is one of UMWT’s CSR activities and is a community-level project involving multiple stakeholders including the local councils, governmental agencies, community leaders, local residents and private companies.
The company hopes that all participants of this year’s Toyota Eco Youth Programme take up the challenge to reduce greenhouse gases in their projects.
