GROWING basil SHRUBS From NEWSPAPER
Sime darby Property partners with Star media Group to distribute ‘plantable newspaper’ which can be sown and its produce consumed
ONE may wonder if it is possible to transform a piece of newspaper into a beautiful plant. The answer is yes.
This will be demonstrated through a partnership between Sime Darby Property Berhad and Star Media Group Berhad, which will see both parties distributing “plantable” copies of The Star to readers in the Klang Valley.
This initiative is just one of the many undertaken by the leading property developer to practise sustainability as part of its company-specific 2030 sustainability goals.
Recognising that environmental impact is now a business imperative, Sime Darby Property has doubled down on its efforts to uphold the best interests of people and the planet.
The company is committed to improve the biodiversity within its townships during the development process to ensure the wellbeing of communities and nature.
In conjunction with its 50th anniversary this year, Sime Darby Property has set an ambitious goal of achieving an even bigger harvest through its tree-planting initiatives.
For every person who sows the paper and shares it on their social media using the hashtag #Sdpplantablepaper, Sime Darby Property aims to plant triple the number of trees in its various townships by 2030.
It is worth noting the power of tree planting in tackling the climate crisis, given their ability to capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
Hence, with the consequences of climate change becoming more apparent, industries across the board including real estate are confronting the immense challenges posed by the climate crisis and putting decarbonisation at the top of their agenda.
As a “Force for Good”, the company aims to be a beacon for sustainable business, development and living – set forth in its Beyond 50 vision, which centres on the idea of multiplying value for people, businesses, economies and the planet.
To mitigate the industry’s potential negative repercussions on biodiversity, the company works with partners to protect and preserve flora and fauna in its developments by rewilding green areas, one step at a time. SDP has a “zero rainforest removal” practice in its sustainability policies implemented across all townships.
Working with the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre, Sime Darby Property has set up the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre (ERKC) which focuses on research, conservation, environmental education and community engagements – including programmes funded by its philanthropic arm, Yayasan Sime Darby.
Adjacent to ERKC, the Elmina Living Collection Nursery propagates and preserves saplings of endangered, rare and threatened tree species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
Sime Darby Property’s “tree-totree replacement” policy returns the land to a more biodiverse state by replacing each oil palm tree felled for development purposes with other trees, focusing on native species. The company is looking towards replanting thousands of trees annually and calculating the carbon sequestered in the process.
Indeed, an organisation’s longterm viability depends on sound biodiversity policies as it pushes companies to reconsider how their operations affect the environment. Sime Darby Property, for one, has conservation of biodiversity at the heart of what it does.
To amplify this effort, Sime Darby Property recently organised a plantable paper sowing at KL East Park. Following this, a tree planting event will be held at ERKC soon. To stay updated, go to https://beyond50. simedarbyproperty.com