Eco-Friendly Campaign: Antara Realiti dan Fantasi

'Eco-Friendly Campaign' telah dilancarkan di UUM pada pertengahan tahun 2008 yang lepas. Kempen ini merupakan satu langkah bijak yang diambil oleh pihak universiti dalam mengatasi masalah pencemaran dan kesihatan. Perasmiannya telah dilangsungkan di hadapan pejabat Canselori oleh VC UUM, Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Nordin Kardi dengan upacara melepaskan burung merpati.

"The ECO-Friendly Campaign was initiated on the realisation that the University must play a bigger and more pro-active role in inculcating awareness, change of attitudes and lifestyle among its students and staff.

Every single person living on this planet is accountable and responsible for his/ her actions. As part of this commitment, UUM has vouched to make a more concerted effort to do its part in saving our planet; and being a centre of educational excellence UUM is an ideal place to foster these values.

The campaign will be implemented continuously throughout the years until its objectives have been met.

As such, the objectives of the Eco-Friendly campaign are:

1. To create an awareness among the UUM campus community of the importance of conserving the environment.
   
2. To nurture the love for the environment through eco-friendly projects organised.
   
3. To disseminate information and knowledge on how the UUM campus community can help make a difference and save the environment.
   
4. To change the mindset and lifestyle of the UUM campus community so as to live in harmony with the environment.
   

Subsequently, on 13th May 2008, the University's Executive Council Meeting decided that:

1. The use of polystyrene is prohibited on campus.
   As an alternative to polystyrene containers students and staff must:
   • Eat at the cafeteria
     
   • Bring their own containers (rebate 20 cents)
     
   • Use Eco-Pak (bio-degradable containers)
2. The use of plastic bags is prohibited on campus
   As an alternative to plastic bags students and staff must use:
   
   • ‘green’ bags made from bio-degradable material
     
   • Fabric/ canvas bags
     
   • Brown paper bags
     
   • Brown paper wrappers
3. A watchdog team comprising student activists and volunteers will be set up to advise those who do not follow this ruling."

Walaubagaimanapun, kempen ini sangat lemah dari aspek pelaksanaanya. Banyak kafeteria yang masih tidak mematuhi arahan yang dikeluarkan malah eco-pack yang dikatakan pengganti bekas polistrin hanya terdapat dalam bilangan yang sedikit dan tidak dapat mematuhi permintaan kafeteria. Rebat yang dijanjikan juga hanya tinggal janji kosong sahaja malahan skuad 'watchdog' yang dikatakan akan memantau pelaksanaan kempen ini bagaikan langsung tidak wujud. Satu sumber mengatakan bahawa kempen ini sebenarnya diwujudkan untuk menjadi 'lubuk rezeki' bagi sesetengah pihak atasan. Di samping itu, terdapat banyak kritikan daripada pihak pensyarah yang mengatakan kempen ini hanyalah retorik semata-mata. Kempen ini juga telah memakan belanja yang besar dan boleh dikatakan satu usaha pihak Universiti yang GAGAL-uumkini