1.Project description

According to a 2019 source, Malaysia ranks second in Asia for annual per capita plastic usage (NST, 2020). Furthermore, Malaysians generate at least 1.2kg of waste per day! Where does all this waste go? Out of 141 landfills in Malaysia, only 21 of them are considered sanitary landfills (The Star, 2021). In line with the Malaysian Government’s Plastic Sustainability Roadmap launched recently, we hope to educate Malaysians on living more sustainably through the zero waste concept with this project.  Our vision to turn Malaysia into a sustainable, green nation cannot happen without exposure of zero waste living across the country. The 30 Day Zero Waste Challenge aims to do just that!  The 30 Day Zero Waste Challenge is a nationwide, month-long challenge that aims to increase the awareness of Malaysians about Zero Waste Practices through participation in simple, daily challenges that create lasting habits in building a greener Malaysia! The challenge also builds a community and support system throughout this experience through online interaction via social media.

 2. Project progress up to now

 As a continuation of the previous project MY Zero Waste Life - Summarized and Trash Encyclopedia, the team has conducted a roadshow - “Trashpedia Outreach - ZWM Market Day” in June. This was to build up the momentum of the zero waste movement in Malaysia and carry out stakeholder engagement.  Though the 30 Day Zero Waste Challenge will launch in October, we attracted 155 interested participants during the mini roadshow. We invited 11 vendors ranging from household care products, dry food that supports the zero waste concept and implementing the refill and reuse model. Participants were encouraged to bring their own reusables to enjoy a mindful shopping experience as environmentally conscious consumers. On the event day itself, at least 252 new users experienced the Trash Encyclopedia platform learning about waste segregation in the right way and of course the ultimate action - To embrace a Zero Waste Lifestyle!

3.Project plan forward

Our team is in the middle of team recruitment for the October challenge. As part of the project plan, we aim to refine the programme activities for the 30-day zero waste challenge calendar by test running it among our internal team. Based on the internal run-through, we will share feedback and improve the 30-day zero waste challenge mechanism, activities and overall experience.   We look forward to onboarding the team after a few more weeks of recruitment and kicking off the Marketing campaign in the next month or so. As this project is running alongside another upcoming event, we will continue to have detailed plans to stay organised and ensure smooth running of this campaign.