Car-free hours and plogging day deliver significant improvement in campus air quality

The implementation of the Car-Free Hours and Plogging Day 2026 Programme under the Green Campus Movement 2026 (GCM2026) has demonstrated encouraging early results, with a significant improvement in air quality recorded at Universiti Teknologi MARA Sarawak Branch (UiTMCS), Samarahan Campus. For the first time, all vehicles were prohibited from entering the campus for three hours, from 6.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m., highlighting how small collective actions can generate meaningful environmental benefits. Data collected through the newly installed Air Quality Sensor (AQS), one of the green initiatives introduced during the recent launch of the Low Carbon Campus programme, revealed a substantial reduction in particulate matter concentrations. The average PM2.5 concentration recorded between 10.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. on 16 June 2026 was 17 μg/m³, categorised as Moderate. On the following day, under the Car-Free Hours initiative, the reading dropped significantly to only 2 μg/m³, achieving a Good air quality classification. The remarkable 88.2% reduction in PM2.5 concentration provides strong evidence that reducing vehicle usage and encouraging active mobility through activities such as plogging can contribute directly to lower carbon emissions and improved environmental quality on campus. The results reinforce UiTMCS's commitment to its Low Carbon Campus agenda and demonstrate that sustainability initiatives can produce measurable and meaningful impacts for the campus community and future generations.