Turn Garbage into Black Gold?

Dear Residents,

I got a mail from SJ Alert (Robert) about this environmental project which is worth our attention. It came from Mr. Teoh through SJ Echo. Please read on. I am sure it is worth participating especially it can encourage our children to look after our environment and at the same time, giving them an opportunity to make some money!

Thank you.

Jeffrey Khoo
Treasurer
11 Trees @ USJ


Here is his posting:
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We are going to be launching the first of its kind project in Subang Jaya - Community Composting to be run and maintained by the community, mainly kids.

Date : Saturday 25th October 2008
Time : 9.00 am
Venue : SS14/7c to SS14/7F

Funded by YB Hannah's office and supported by MPSJ, this will be the start of initiatives taken by the youths to turn garden waste into 'black gold". Do join us for this. Pass the word around for those who wish to come and view them from the launch date onwards...

Thanks
Teoh

Community Composting

Now...this is going to be different. Adults together with their children will be involved in putting together the composting containers (which I shall provide more details later in this email) and then hand over the running and management of the compost area to the youth in our area. Obviously adults will supervise and guide to make sure the right materials are put into the containers.A group of youth (including my kids) are putting together the plan for the composting project. The plan is this:

Stage 1 : Build and establish the compost bins. (Empire Subang's owner and developer has kindly offered us pipe culverts (diameter of 2 feet and 4 feet in length) to be converted into bins. I will be meeting Mr Danny Cheah, the Group Executive Director to provide him more details on what we need done to the culverts and also how we are going to put it up. He has offered manpower to help us set it up as well.

Stage 2: The youth will take over to generate material which they will use for the launch. A powerpoint presentation is being put together on composting. More printed material (leaflets, a banner and posters) will be developed over the next few weeks for the launch. While this is happening, we will start the composting.

Stage 3: Launching of the community composting project by YB Hannah. Saturday October 25 at around 9am as the date for the launch of this project, in conjunction with Malaysian Environment Week which is around the 3rd week of October. The location for the launch will be at the fenced up area of our back lane where the compost bins will be placed. Community leaders from Subang Jaya together with MPSJ officials are expected to be invited to attend this launch. The children will lead the presentation.The compost bins.The idea is to have a dry compost bin instead of the conventional method which also generates enzymes. Why? The process of keeping wet compost may stink up the area.As such, holes will be drilled into the sides of the culverts for air to flow in. The bottom bit of the culvert will be mounted on a specially built brick platform to make sure it is stable and compost generated can be harvest at the bottom.

Method: The children will be encouraged to lightly landscape the composting area. Our neighbours will be encouraged to collect kitchen waste (only uncooked vegetables and fruits (skin) will be collected and then deposited into the bins. We will also try and make some arrangements with the organic shop in SS18 to supply us some discarded vegetables and fruits to add on to the compost bin.For sustainability, the children will be encouraged to pack the compost (once matured) into 1 kg bags and sell them to our community at a nominal price. This way they can sustain the efforts and come up with new ideas as well.

SJ Echo
23A Jalan SS14/2, Subang Jaya
47500 Selangor
Mobile: 012-3288557
http://www.sjecho.com.my/