The activities will involve educating employees from different companies, along Sungai Pencala (in the Sungai Way area), about the solid waste problem in Malaysia and what they can do to help reduce waste production in their companies and at home. 

An estimated 10 companies will be identified and invited by GAB Foundation to attend a one-day training session by GEC. This session will facilitate their understanding on solid waste management problems and issues in Malaysia as well as implementing best management practices to manage their waste responsibly, not only at their workplace but at home as well. In addition, companies will be encouraged to develop an action plan to initiate their own recycling program. There will also be a session on rainwater harvesting and how businesses can utilize rainwater in their daily manufacturing processes to conserve and reduce the use of clean treated water. If successful, this business community program could achieve great results.

Further to this, GAB staff will get more involved by working with the local RA’s to help implement local mini-projects related to the environment. By doing this, GAB will be promoting grass-root activities that will make a difference. The 1S1C activities on localized water/waste management will help to build leadership qualities of staff and the capacity of community members. 

A two-hour training programme was conducted in the GAB premises on the 14th August 2008. The event was a training session entitled ‘GAB Business Community: Resource management’ and was officiated by the Selangor State EXCO for Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment, Y.B. Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping, and attended by a 50-strong crowd made up of employees of GAB business partners. A small exhibition was also put up by GEC on the ‘Water 4 Life’ project and solid waste issues.

The programme started with a welcome speech by Renuka Indrarajah of GAB Foundation and Y.B. Wong was invited to officiate the session. Then Dr. Kalithasan gave a presentation that described briefly the W.A.T.E.R project background and then went on to the main part of the session, which was to expose the participants to solid waste and river pollution issues in Malaysia and show them how they can do their part to improve the situation through individual action, both at home and in the office. GEC staff Shafinaz then gave a brief demonstration on how to sort and prepare solid waste material for recycling as well as techniques for composting at home using organic wastes. The session ended with a light tea break where participants could mingle and ask questions.