Since its humble conception in 2007, Earth Hour is now one of the world’s largest grassroots movements that have mobilized millions of people to ‘give an hour for Earth’ through its iconic ‘lights-off moment’. To continue its commitment to sustainability, ATLAS Vending, a leading vending solutions provider has joined in this juncture of solidarity for the planet by launching a series of events with the aim of educating and creating environmental issues awareness and bringing back Earth Hour this year.
Inspired by Earth Hour, ATLAS Vending switched off a total of 150 vending machines across participating universities in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Penang on 25 March 2023 from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm. This initiative is in accordance with the global movement to spark positive change(s) for the environment by making a significant difference in energy consumption. In addition, ATLAS Vending has also launched a donation campaign starting from 23 March 2023 to 22 April 2023 in partnership with Green Hero, an NGO that assists in salvaging edible food from waste. All proceeds collected from ATLAS vending machines during the campaign will be donated to Green Hero.
Amy Gan, Vice President of Marketing, Etika Sdn Bhd shared that in line with this year’s Earth Hour theme, ‘Shape Our Future’, ATLAS hopes to make a positive difference through its initiatives. “We’ve long been committed to supporting a good cause. Our involvement in this year’s Earth Hour is a timely reminder that every effort, no matter how small, counts towards preserving our planet.”
“Participating in Earth Hour is more than switching off our vending machines. It serves as a reminder that every individual, organization, and corporation is responsible for our actions in this world. We firmly believe this to be a symbol of unity and hope, and is an affirmation that our collective actions have the power to bring positive change to the Earth,” said Amy.
“Going beyond dispensing delight to consumers through our various types of vending machines, these machines were designed to be environmentally beneficial by integrating LED lights which use 65% less power than fluorescent lights.”
These machines are also equipped with Smart Energy Control, which ensures efficient electricity usage, decreasing energy consumption by 40%. As part of their initiative to contribute to a greener environment, ATLAS Vending has recycled secondary packaging for all the products placed into the machine, and this initiative saw involvement from Central, Northern, and Southern regions. ATLAS Vending gathered 11,000 used plastic bottles, which were recycled and effectively used to manufacture its corporate uniform and t-shirts.
In the hopes of creating environmental awareness to build a greener future, ATLAS Vending will be engaging with university students through a contest, the ‘ATLAS Greenovate My Campus Contest’, that will take place from 23 March 2023 to 22 April 2023. Interested students must submit a proposal via the ATLAS Vending Facebook page on ‘How to make your campus more sustainable’ (sent via slides or an essay presentation) and a one-minute video proposal summary in English or Bahasa Malaysia. To build excitement and aid in making a positive environmental impact, ATLAS Vending will select a few proposals from participating universities with ideas that stand out, and provide a fund of RM10,000 to realize the initiative.
“Earth Hour is all about bringing awareness and educating the community. By actively involving the younger generation to contribute their ideas and thoughts to create a greener environment, we are providing opportunities to our future leaders to take positive action and create a world where we all can live peacefully hand-in-hand with Mother Nature,” concluded Amy.
Now, more than ever, Earth Hour is a timely reminder for us to strive for a better, greener world. Do your part in making this positive change.
For more information on ATLAS Vending and its initiatives on celebrating Earth Hour, please visit www.atlasasia.co