It pays to go green - The Star Metro Perak

Friday 27 April 2018 By Amanda Yeap

The team from Kohijau and Ipoh Parade at the launch of the 71st Kohijau recycling bin at the shopping centre

KOPERASI Alam Hijau Perak Bhd (Kohijau), a non-governmental organisation, has launched its 71st recycling bin.

Collaborating with a mall for the first time in conjunction with International Earth Day, Ipoh folk will now find its recognisable new green recycling bin at Ipoh Parade shopping centre.

Kohijau and Ipoh Parade aim to work hand-in-hand to raise awareness of and put an end to plastic pollution.

The mall pledges to stop irresponsible littering and encourage the public to dispose of any waste materials, especially plastic, into the Kohijau recycle bin located at B1 of its underground parking lot next to the car wash centre.

During the launch, Ipoh City Watch and Kohijau chairman Dr Richard Ng said the 2.7 million population of Perak produces an estimated 600,000 tonnes of garbage each year.

“Of this total, about 15% or 90,000 tonnes consist of plastic.

“About 10,000 tonnes are recovered through recycling and 80,000 tonnes end up in landfills, rivers, oceans and illegal dumpsites,” he said at the event.

Ng said plastic has an impact on carbon footprint as it uses non-renewable energy to produce.

“Plastic garbage from the landfills produces methane gas and carbon dioxide over the years and affects greenhouse gas, which also has an impact on global warming,” he said.

Ng urged the state government to reverse its decision on banning plastic, which was supposed to be implemented on June 1, 2017, but has been postponed indefinitely.

“States such as Selangor, Melaka and Johor have banned the use of certain plastics and polystyrene and Perak should set a good example if Ipoh were to remain as the cleanest city and Perak the second cleanest state in the country,” he said.

Ipoh Parade advertising and promotions executive Nabilah Mohammad said they hope to encourage shoppers to recycle using the Kohijau system as it is unique and benefits shoppers in return.

“Kohijau’s speciality is that recycling comes with a rewards system.

“Not only do we want the public to come here for shopping and entertainment, we also want them to protect Mother Nature,” she said.

To get started, shoppers can sign up as members of the recycling programme at www.icycle-global.com.

Once personal details are submitted, every person will receive a set of barcodes unique to their membership via postal mail.

Then, shoppers will need to place all their recyclables in a disposal bag with the bar code sticker attached and drop them into the new Kohijau bin at the mall.

The recyclables will be collected every week and members are given recycling points based on the barcodes scanned.

Members can check and redeem their recycling points online and stand a chance to get shopping vouchers.

To date, a total of 80,000kg of recyclables has been collected from 7,000 members through its bins placed throughout Perak.

The locations of other Kohijau recycling bins can be found on its website.

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/04/27/it-pays-to-go-green-new-bin-at-mall-encourages-shoppers-to-recycle-and-be-rewarded/

Negeri terbersih lonjak Ipoh - Sinar Harian

30 April 2018 by Saifullah Ahmad

Kebersihan bandaraya Ipoh yang terus dipelihara hasil komitmen Zambry yang mencetuskan kempen Perak Yang Bersih.

IPOH - Kesungguhan dalam memastikan bandaraya Ipoh bersih antara faktor tarikan pelancong sehingga mendapat perhatian di peringkat antarabangsa.

Pengiktirafan daripada Lonely Planet dan terbaharu pengiktirafan daripada The New York Times dalam ruangan Travel pada 28 Februari lalu membuktikan usaha yang dilakukan kerajaan tidak sia-sia.

Pengerusi Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad (Kohijau), Dr Richard Ng berkata, semua ini sebenarnya rentetan daripada komitmen Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir yang tidak berkompromi terhadap kebersihan bandar raya ini.

Katanya, pendekatan turun padang dalam memastikan keadaan negeri ini khususnya kawasan bandar bersih sangat berkesan.

“Dr Zambry bukan sahaja beri arahan untuk jaga kebersihan, tetapi beliau turun sama-sama kutip sampah dengan pekerja Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI). Tak ada orang sanggup buat melainkan pemimpin itu serius dengan apa yang dikata.

“Impaknya inilah. Perak sudahpun menjadi negeri kedua terbersih di Malaysia hasil kerjasama semua dan komitmen menteri besar itu,” katanya kepada Sinar Harian.

Katanya, tindakan Zambry turun padang memastikan Perak bersih juga mencetuskan semangat baharu kepada pihak berkuasa tempatan (PBT) di negeri ini untuk memastikan bandar atau pekan mereka bersih.

Richard berkata, di sebalik pembangunan yang semakin pesat di Ipoh, kelestarian alam sekitar tidak dipandang ringan.

Malah katanya, Zambry sendiri dalam Executive Talk pada tahun 2017 dan diulang pada tahun 2018 memberi penekanan terhadap kehijauan bandar ini.

“Pembangunan dan kemajuan sesuatu kawasan itu memang diperlukan bagi membuka pelbagai ruang serta peluang kepada penduduk. Namun, sesuatu pembangunan yang dirancang perlu seimbang dengan alam.

“Itulah dasar Dr Zambry yang mahu melihat kehijauan alam tidak diganggu sebaliknya menggunakan alam semulajadi yang ada sebagai satu kelebihan dalam pembangunan dilaksanakan itu,” katanya.

Richard berkata, begitu juga dengan kebersihan tandas yang begitu dititikberatkan menteri besar dalam memastikan aspek kebersihan meliputi semua peringkat dan tempat.

Menurutnya, kempen Perak Yang Bersih cetusan idea Zambry disambut baik seluruh rakyat di negeri ini.

http://www.sinarharian.com.my/edisi/perak/negeri-terbersih-lonjak-ipoh-1.828122

Turning their backs on trash - The Star Metro Perak

5 Feb 2018 by Ivan Loh

(From left) Thinakaran, Ninderjeet and Visveswara sorting recyclable items at the Kampung Jelapang Tambahan community recycling collection centre.

KAMPUNG Jelapang Tambahan now is a far cry from what it was before 2015.

While Rubbish and illegal dumpsites could be found along many of the roads there just three years, things changed significantly after the village started its Community Recycling Project.

Jelapang Rukun Tetangga chairman S. Thinakaran said the village becoming cleaner is all thanks to the project and the caring residents.

“With the current use of the Kohijau-iCycle reward-for-recycling system, it’s getting even better.

“I am not saying there are completely no dumpsites, but they have been reduced significantly – I think by about 90%,” Thinakaran said.

“Among the areas that have seen great improvement in the village are Lorong 4, 8, 14, 16, and 22, though garden waste is still an issue here and there,” he said.

“There are also no longer any complaints about the scheduled rubbish collection by the Ipoh City Council,” he said, adding that there are about 250 households in the village.

“About 30% of the people here are participants of the recycling activities.

“Even the mentality of the younger generation here has changed,” he said.

“They realise the importance of the recycling we do. Many of them are doing their part,” he added.

Thinakaran said the RT is using its own money allocated by the National Unity and Integration Department to pay the residents for their contributions.

“Every month, we pay out between RM250 and RM300 to the contributing residents. They bring in some 400 to 500kg of recyclable items monthly,” he said, adding that Kohijau-iCycle does the record-keeping for the recycling project.

Thinakaran said he is very grateful that there is a group of core people in Jelapang Tambahan who are close-knit and work hard to ensure the recycling programme is a success.

The Kampung Jelapang Tambahan community recycling collection centre

“They always listen to advice about keeping the environment clean have built bonds that help them work together effectively.

“We have our own a Whatsapp chat group about the collection of recyclable items and activities,” he said.

“Of course, there are still some who are not cooperative, despite numerous attempts to get them to join us. Hopefully, one day, we can get through to them,” he added.

Thinakaran said he hopes that the other communities in Jelapang will join them for their recycling efforts.

“Sad to say, not many people here are interested. I really think that Jelapang would be better and cleaner if everyone took part.

Thinakaran said the village’s RT has also been selected by the National Unity and Integration Department to be a model for its community projects for this year.

Kampung Jelapang Tambahan resident R. Visveswara is proud of the clean community field

“We got the letter earlier this month. The departments want us to submit reports on how we can help generate revenue for residents in housing areas or local communities,” he said.

He also said he hopes the residents at Kampung Jelapang Tambahan will continue with the recycling programme so that the village can become the cleanest in the country.

“I also hope the mentality of the people will change to become more civic-minded about the environment and cleanliness.

“I would like to see, one day, that people here automatically pick up any rubbish found on the road,” he said.

Resident R. Visveswara said those involved with the Community Recycling Project campaigned from door to door, urging the residents to join in and take part.

“When the Kohijau-iCycle recycling-for-rewards system started, more and more people got interested.

“While we used to separate our garbage, it has become easier now with Kohijau-iCycle as we just throw everything in bags and these will be sorted by the recycling organisation,” said Visveswara, who is also the village’s RT secretary.

“We hold the recycling project once every fortnight,” he said.

“There are other residents who are selling their recyclable items to recycling centres in Silibin, but we don’t mind as long as they are recycling,” he added.

Another resident, housewife Ninderjeet Kaur, said since learning about composting from the Community Recycling Project, she has been actively doing so.

“It’s not hard. We just need to bury the organic waste in soil and let nature do its job.

“It will normally turn into compost within five to six weeks,” said the housewife.

“The compost can then be used as fertiliser for gardening and small-scale farming,” she said.

Ninderjeet said she gathers organic waste, like fruit peel or leftover vegetables, from some neighbours for composting.

“I always tell them not to throw the waste into the rubbish bin. I bring it back home for composting,” she said, adding that many of the villagers are now composting, all having learned from the recycling programme.

https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/02/05/turning-their-backs-on-trash-villagers-efforts-shine-as-an-example-of-tackling-cleanliness/

Mata ganjaran sampah kitar semula jimat RM12 juta - Sinar Harian

KHAIRIL ANWAR MOHD AMIN

7 APRIL 2018

Abdul Puhat (tengah) dan Richard (empat kiri) menunjukkan demonstrasi perlaksanaan sistem mata ganjaran kitar semula Kohijau iCycle kepada pengunjung.

KUALA KURAU - Perlaksanaan sistem mata ganjaran bagi setiap sampah dikitar semula oleh Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad (Kohijau) dijangka mampu menjimatkan kos pengurusan sisa pepejal setiap pihak berkuasa tempatan(PBT) di Perak sehingga RM12 juta setahun.

Pengerusinya, Profesor Dr Richard Ng berkata, anggaran itu berasaskan kemampuan Sistem Mata Ganjaran Kitar Semula Kohijau-iCycle diperkenalkan pihaknya, mampu menjimatkan sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus daripada kos keseluruhan pengurusan sampah kerajaan negeri.

Menurutnya, sehingga kini, sistem itu sudah diimplementasi di 70 lokasi di seluruh negara termasuk setiap PBT di Perak.

“Di Perak, sehingga kini kita sudah memproses 60,000 kilogram sampah kitar semula dikumpul dengan lebih 200,000 mata ganjaran diberikan kepada ahli berdaftar.

“Setiap kali proses kitar semula dibuat, sekurang-kurangnya 30 peratus daripada sampah dibuang dapat dilaksanakan proses itu, sekaligus menjimatkan 30 peratus kapasiti sampah dibuang ke tapak perlupusan sampah.

“Penjimatan kapasiti jumlah sampah dibuang ke tapak perlupusan sampah diselia PBT pastinya menjimatkan kos pengurusan sampah tahunan ditanggung mereka,” katanya kepada media pada majlis gotong-royong Perak Yang Bersih dan sesi taklimat Sistem Mata Ganjaran Kohijau-iCycle di Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Seri Siakap, di sini hari ini.

Majlis dirasmikan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri Perak, Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan dan dihadiri Pemangku Yang Dipertua (YDP) Majlis Daerah Kerian (MDK), Norhafisah Mohamad.

Richard berkata, Kohijau berjaya membantu menjimatkan perbelanjaan kerajaan negeri sebanyak RM18,000 dalam aspek pengurusan sampah sejak sistem mata ganjaran ini diperkenalkan.

Menurutnya, Kohijau kini sudah mendaftarkan 7,000 penduduk Perak menjadi ahli bagi mengimplementasi sistem itu.

“Bagi setiap kilogram sampah dikitar semula, PBT dapat menjimatkan 30 sen kos pengurusan sampah.

“Sekiranya 30 peratus daripada keseluruhan 2.8 juta penduduk Perak mengambil bahagian (dalam kempen kitar semula sampah), pastinya PBT di setiap daerah dapat menjimatkan kos berjuta-juta ringgit setahun di samping memastikan tahap kebersihan terbaik,” katanya.

Richard berkata, melalui sistem ini, masyarakat boleh mengamalkan budaya kitar semula dengan cara sistematik memandangkan mereka tidak perlu melaksanakan pengasingan sampah.

Menurutnya, mereka hanya perlu masukkan dalam beg plastik khas dan buang ke dalam tong sampah Kohijau yang disediakan.

“Mereka yang berdaftar dengan program Kohijau juga berpeluang menukar sampah kitar semula menjadi duit apabila setiap mata ganjaran bernilai 5 sen

“Selain mata ganjaran boleh ditebus dengan wang tunai, penyumbang juga boleh menukar mata ganjaran dengan kupon beli barang oleh beberapa pasaraya terkemuka atau mendermakannya kepada badan-badan amal.

“Dengan cara ini, masyarakat boleh mengamalkan budaya kitar semula sambil membuat kebajikan,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Norhafisah ketika ditemui menegaskan MDK bakal menempatkan lima tong sampah permulaan di lima lokasi dikenal pasti bagi tujuan itu.

“Pada masa hadapan, kita berharap lebih ramai penduduk yang menyertai program Kohijau sekaligus membantu mengurangkan masalah pembuangan sampah di tempat tidak sepatutnya,” katanya.

http://www.sinarharian.com.my/edisi/perak/mata-ganjaran-sampah-kitar-semula-jimat-rm12-juta-1.819359