ORGANISING an expo to promote an environmentally-friendly lifestyle can pose a conundrum — the event itself should be as “green” as possible. But Advanced Diploma in Mass Communication (Public Relations) students of Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College managed to successfully pull it off.

They even raised over RM1,000 for the Global Environment Centre (GEC) in the process.

The event, dubbed Green Expo 2011, was organised in collaboration with GEC, Eco Friends, Alam Flora, SYABAS, Truly Loving Company (TLC), BROS, Dive Label, Eclimo, and the college’s own fashion design graduate Lorenzo Peh who exhibited his creations made from recycled material.

Visitors checking out the ‘bunting bags’, made from old campaign banners, which were sold at the event.

The campaign, which was held over three days at the institution’s main campus in Kuala Lumpur, provided a platform for the organisations to educate students, staff and the public in the use of green products, services and technologies.

Visitors took part in recycling, the Greenest Effort Corner, and T-shirt designing, among other activities. They also brought used bottles to be traded in.

Mascots dressed in discarded boxes, called “Greenbots”, danced and toured the campus and surrounding areas to entertain and attract visitors to the event.

The student organisers also made 100 bags from old campaign buntings, which were sold out by the end of the event.

“Our Mother Earth is a beautiful blue from outer space, and a gracious green as we near it.

“Green awareness and action campaigns encourage our youths to be conservers of our environment,” said TAR College principal Dr Tan Chik Heok at the launch of the event.

“Preserving the environment through actionable campaigns provides practical skills for students to apply after graduation, as industries and institutions are embracing sustainable developments,” said Public Relations programme supervisor Chuan Tek Pheung.

The event featured a performance by singer Peace Teo, as well as prize giveaways by 8Team cruisers.

There was also a lucky draw which gave visitors the chance to win iPod Shuffles and other prizes.