Curtin Malaysia students explore ecotourism potential, sustainability at Eye 1 Recycle

MIRI (Oct 3): Curtin University Malaysia’s Faculty of Business students recently visited Eye 1 Recycle to gain insight on the recycling centre’s practices for environmental sustainability.

The field trip was also part of Curtin Malaysia’s strategic approach to experiential learning where students were engaged with real-world challenges, said the university in a statement.

“It reflects the university’s focus on sustainability in education, equipping students to not only understand but actively contribute towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs),” it added.

Led by lecturer Dr Ho Jie Min from the Department of Management and Marketing, who is also discipline lead for marketing and tourism programmes at the Faculty of Business, the students had the opportunity to explore how environmental sustainability can align with ecotourism.

“This visit allows our students to witness how businesses like Eye 1 Recycle addresses environmental issues through sustainable practices, and they also get to see how such innovations can shape both the business and tourism sectors,” said Ho.

At the recycling centre, the students observed the recycling process in action and the hands-on demonstration of the centre’s ‘Eco-brick’ initiative where plastic waste was transformed into eco-bricks.

Eye 1 Recycle owner Bryan Chia shared his expertise with the students on how sustainable practices can elevate Miri’s ecotourism potential.

“Plastic pollution directly impacts the image of a city, and our goal is to show how recycling can turn waste into an income opportunity.

“We also want students to see how corporate social responsibility initiatives like ours, which focus on hiring disadvantaged communities, are vital to creating a sustainable future,” said Chia, who also shared the centre’s plan to set up an eco-friendly recreational park in the city.

This field trip initiative further cements Curtin Malaysia’s role as a leading educational institution promoting sustainability-driven learning, preparing students to make meaningful contributions to a more sustainable future, both locally and globally.