Cycleton battles climate change with a mix of gusto

A hundred participants enjoyed a relaxing cycling session around UTAR Kampar Campus in “Cycleton for a Green Campus” on 15 July 2023. The event was jointly organised by the Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT), UTAR Society of Petroleum Engineers, UCSI-Cheras Low Carbon Innovation Hub Research Consortium, and IEM UCSI Student Chapter to raise awareness of UTAR and the Kampar communities about the benefits of cycling and introduce the concept of carbon footprint mitigation in the aspect of transportation. It was in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action.

Among the participants were UTAR students, UTAR staff, local residents and sponsor representatives. The cycling session was filled with joy and small talks from not only cycling aficionados, but also individuals who were seeking a moment of peace and joy in the nature-encompassing campus. While the participants were enjoying the cool morning breeze on their bicycles, they also contributed to the effort of helping the earth by reducing carbon footprint together.

To enlighten the participants about the severity of global warming and ways to reduce carbon emissions in transportation, an insightful talk titled “Carbon Footprint Mitigation Solution in Transportation” was given after the cycling session. It was jointly delivered by UCSI University Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment academics Assoc Prof Dr Yeap Swee Pin and Dr Sum Jing Yao respectively.

During the talk, Dr Yeap, who is also the co-founder of UCSI-Cheras Low Carbon Innovation Hub Research Consortium, shared his knowledge about global warming and the solutions utilised by the world to counteract it. “It’s interesting that 80% of Malaysians find global warming concerning. However, most of them are unaware of the ways to solve the issues related to global warming,” shared Dr Yeap about a survey done in Malaysia. He gave a detailed explanation on greenhouse gases and their roles in global warming. Dr Yeap commented, “Trees are called carbon sinks for their efficiency in decarbonisation, so why not we focus on using trees? Unfortunately, we still have to perform deforestation to some extent to promote our country’s growth. Hence, we have to find ways to reduce carbon emissions while developing our country.”

According to Dr Yeap, one of the key ways to achieve low carbon emissions is the implementation of carbon tax. He stated that, by avoiding paying more tax, the companies would invest more in low-carbon technology, thus producing lesser carbon dioxide in the long run. “Countries like Singapore, the UK and Japan have already applied carbon tax. Though Malaysia has yet to implement this policy, I heard that it will be implemented soon,” said Dr Yeap about the possibility of a carbon tax in Malaysia.

Dr Sum is also the on-campus activities division lead of UCSI-Cheras Low Carbon Innovation Hub Research Consortium. He emphasised the solutions towards reducing carbon emissions in the area of transportation. “Transportation alone contributes about 20% of total carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in Malaysia, which means that transportation is one of the major sectors that is producing CO2,” shared Dr Sum. He introduced some ways to reduce carbon emissions in transportation, such as using environment-friendly sources to power vehicles. He said, “Electric vehicle (EV) is a hot topic nowadays as it drives without burning any fuel or oil. Yet, the choices of EVs are limited in Malaysia. If you look at Proton and Perodua, there is not a single EV offered. You would probably be hit by expensive price tags even if you look for other brands.”

Furthermore, for the green option, Dr Sum explained that Malaysians prefer hybrid vehicles compared to EVs, mainly due to the barriers of developing an EV ecosystem in Malaysia such as the lack of recharging infrastructure and expensive purchase price. Other sources of renewable energy were also introduced by Dr Sum, including ethanol, hydrogen and biodiesel. “As an individual, what we can contribute to fuel technology may be limited. Try to drive less unless necessary. Another great option for short-distance travelling is cycling. The hundred participants who chose to cycle instead of driving around the campus managed to save about 100kg of CO2 today,” enthused Dr Sum.

To encourage cycling in the campus, six units of bicycle air pumps will be installed at different bicycle parking corners in Kampar Campus.

UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong expressed his delight upon witnessing the active support from the local community, saying, “I am happy to see more than a hundred participants sharing our common goal to protect our mother earth. I would like to thank the sponsors, UCSI University and also the event committee for bringing us this meaningful event. UTAR is dedicated to promoting a greener environment as we engage in various green projects with our staff and students, and even external companies.”

In his remarks, FEGT Dean Ir Prof Dr Ng Choon Aun said, “I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has helped in making this event a success. The ultimate goal of the event is to take action against climate change and its harmful consequences. FEGT has collaborated with different partners in various projects to tackle the issues of climate change such as turning organic waste into resources, turning biogas into electricity, soil rehabilitation and waste recycling.”

Also present at the event were Organising Chairperson Ir Ts Dr Toh Pey Yi, Event Moderator Dr Lim Chong Hooi, Top Glove Foundation Senior Manager Patricia Yong Siew Chaa, Lions Club of Tanjung Putra New Century President Daniel Chan Mun Fung, Greenheart Global Sdn Bhd Sales Manager Looy Phui Sze; staff from Top Glove Foundation and Greenheart Global Sdn Bhd; UTAR staff and students; and Kampar residents.
The event ended with an exciting lucky draw session.

The event was sponsored by Top Glove Foundation, Lions Club of Tanjung Putra New Century, and Greenheart Global Sdn Bhd.