RANAU: Ranau residents and tourism operators have been urged to make waste reduction part of their daily operations, as sustained community action is crucial to protecting the district's natural attractions.
Ranau district officer Tinus Manggam said environmental conservation should not be confined to organised gotong-royong campaigns, but practised consistently by households, businesses, schools and government agencies.
"Cleanliness in the district is not solely the responsibility of the authorities, but also depends on the attitude of individuals," he said at the 2026 Zero Waste and Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark (KUGGp) roadshow at the Ranau District Community Hall yesterday.
He called on the community to reduce waste at source, reuse items, separate rubbish and increase recycling to help ease pressure on waste management systems.
Tinus said Ranau's mountainous landscapes, forests, hot springs, rivers and waterfalls were valuable natural assets that supported tourism and community well-being.
"Conservation is not an obstacle to development. Instead, it is the foundation for ensuring that development can be carried out more responsibly and sustainably," he said.
He also stressed the importance of involving local communities in protecting the geopark's geological, biological and cultural heritage, saying their knowledge of the local environment should complement scientific expertise.
The roadshow combined the Zero Waste Corridor Ranau initiative with educational activities to promote environmental awareness and explain the role of the Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark in conservation, education and sustainable community development.
Earlier, participants took part in a clean-up activity at the Poring Hot Springs Substation.
Why this angle is stronger: It puts the public-interest issue — the need for consistent waste reduction to protect Ranau's natural assets — ahead of the event itself. It also avoids claiming that waste pollution is worsening or that tourism is being affected, as the supplied speech contains no data to substantiate those claims.
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