KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya recently gave away 1,000 potted plants to shoppers in a bid to inculcate a love for nature among Malaysians.
The two-day initiative, aptly called “I’m Yours — 1,000 Free Plants,” was its second effort (the first was in 2014) to promote green living.
The mall gave away five types of plants namely rosemary, basil, dwarf sharp tongue, coleus and mini succulents to those who liked its 1 Utama Facebook page or followed it on Instagram.
Shoppers got to select a plant of their choice and were also given tips on how to care for it.
Additionally, those who shared “I’m Yours” on their Facebook were given a packet of seeds.
There were also 200 sets of 1 Utama’s recyclable metal straws and cleaning brushes up for grabs at RM4.90. All were sold out with the proceeds channelled to 1 Utama’s Feed-The-Fish charity partner.
In line with the initiative to share knowledge on sustainable living, there were educational workshops and programmes designed with eco-themes.
Kids also had fun expressing their artistic side by painting a pot before filling it up with a plant during the Kids Paint and Plant a Pot workshop conducted by Serbajadi Gardening.
Children between the ages of six and 12 who participated in the workshop learnt about different types of plants and their significance in the environment.
Beauty aficionados also got to learn to make their own face and hand scrubs and toothpaste in a session conducted by The Hive.
Meanwhile, adults had a chance to make their own terrariums – a sealable glass container containing soil and plants – in a workshop helmed by 25Dreams.
T
he programme also included a tour of the rooftop Secret Garden led by award-winning botanist and author Dr Francis Ng where participants learnt about the 500 rare and exotic plant species in the garden. The tour also provided participants with useful tips on gardening.
A host of environmentally-conscious business groups namely The Hive, 25Dreams and Serbajadi Gardening also set up stalls at the eco-bazaar to promote their green efforts.
