IN an effort to boost educational opportunities and student achievements, Bayer has always placed great emphasis on promoting science education for young people and been committed to promoting youth environmental programmes.
YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALISTS: The 50 envoys from 18 countries at the Emschergenossenschaft Water Treatment Plant.
Together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this research-based enterprise with a long tradition of success in science and research, organises and promotes a number of specific projects to improve knowledge about the environment among young people and support them in their environmental commitments.
One of these projects is the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy (BYEE) programme, a global environment education programme for the youths, organised by Bayer and UNEP annually to develop young environmental leaders and support them in their ecological pursuits. From the best candidates, Bayer chooses the right people to lead their generation.
The programme, launched in Thailand in 1998, has since been expanded to 18 countries in three continents. Some 11,200 youths have applied for a place in the programme and around 500 have been invited to visit Germany.
BYEE competition 2001
2011 marks the sixth year of Malaysia’s participation in the BYEE programme, and Bayer Co (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is now inviting Malaysian students from local institutes of higher learning to participate in the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Competition 2011.
This will give the students the opportunity to join youth delegates from around Asia, Latin America and Africa on a fully-sponsored study trip for a week-long observation tour of the best environmental practices in Germany.
“The trip will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to exchange ideas and experience on how environmental protection is practised by people, government and industry in a leading country,” said Karen Koh, Bayer Co (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd corporate communication executive and BYEE project leader.
The programme was extended to Sarawak and Sabah for the first time last year.
“University students from all over the country between 18 and 24 are invited to submit their proposals for an environmental project that can be implemented in their local community or university.”
Based on these proposals, 10 deserving students will be selected to be Bayer Young Environmental Envoys and invited to join a five-day youth environmental camp in Malaysia.
Koh pointed out that the camp would be an opportunity for the envoys to expand their environmental knowledge which they will be able to put to good use in answering the challenge to execute their environmental projects.
“A panel of distinguished judges will then pick the top two envoys to represent Malaysia at the international programme in Germany,” she said.
“They will get to experience how environmental protection is practised by people, government and industry in Germany with regards to technology and environmental awareness. The visit also includes a tour of the global headquarters of the Bayer Group to demonstrate how companies − through product development and responsible manufacturing processes − contribute to sustainable development.”
Grateful for opportunity
Last year, Jerry Lee Lin Jian from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Haneesa Zahidah Mohd Shah Redza from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa were the top two envoys.
“I’m grateful to Bayer for giving me the opportunity to learn about the various forms of environmental protection in Germany,” said Lee whose project highlighted the reuse of sewage end-products.
“It was really a privilege to meet officials from Bayer and UNEP as well as envoys from all over the world with whom we were able to share our ideas while at the same time, forge strong friendships,” he added.
Sharing the same sentiment, Haneesa said: “I have expanded my eco-network with people from not one or two but three different continents.
“Though English may not be the main language for some of the envoys, we learnt that if you put your differences aside, see someone from the inside and just take the time to talk and laugh with them, you can build bridges that link the miles that set you apart.
“It’s very empowering to know halfway across the world, someone is fighting for the same cause as I am − with just as much passion,” she enthused.
The English Language and Literature student whose winning proposal was to introduce an alternative waste management system to her university, visited various environmental facilities in Germany such as Leverkusen Municipal Waste Management (AVEA), the waste processing and disposal facility; Emschergenossenschaft Water Treatment Plan which operates 65 wastewater treatment plants, 184 pumping stations and other water management devices in the catchment areas of the Emscher River and the lower part of Lippe River, as well as the Bürrig Waste Management Center where about 180,000 tonnes of solid waste that cannot be recycled are burned in an incinerator.
With the BYEE programme, Bayer hopes to raise a team of next generation care-takers and inspire them to be citizens of the world and stewards of the environment.
Those interested in the competition can log on to www.bayeryoungenvoy.com for further information. Entries must reach the office of Bayer Co (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd by March 15, 2011.