A UNIQUE barter campaign was launched in Serdang Jaya recently to allow residents to collect compost in exchange for food waste.
Subang Jaya municipal councillor Michael Noel Jalleh said the pilot project would be tested there first to help the residents get compost as fertiliser for their plants.
“In the Zone Bersih campaign, we are always looking for innovative ideas, and the unique compost for food waste barter is something out of the box,” he said.
He added that residents could collect their food waste in plastic bags and throw them in designated compost bins that would be placed at the guard house at Jalan SR 8/7.
Michael hoped the residents would take the initiative to do their part to recycle food waste as well and said residents from other areas could also approach the council for the same initiative.
Meanwhile, residents are happy to hear about the barter trade campaign, especially with their new Community Garden.
Serdang Raya SR 8/6 and 8/7 Residents Association chairman Tan See Meng said it was a great start to a proper waste separation initiative.
“Several states have already begun to separate waste and I think it is good to start this practice first before the Selangor state government implements waste separation as well,” he added.
The barter trade campaign was launched during the opening ceremony of a Community Garden in Jalan SR 8/7, Serdang Raya 8 under the Zone Bersih campaign.
The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) had allocated RM40,000 for the Zone Bersih for four chosen Residents Committee (JKP), one of it is Zone 23 where Serdang Jaya is located.
About RM6,000 was spent for the community garden including the construction of a staircase and gate for the residents to enter the area.
Tan said the residents had pooled their energy together to clear up a parcel of land next to a small river for the garden.
The place was infested with mosquitoes in the past and the land was used to discard construction waste.
Some 30 residents came together to set up the garden with MPSJ’s assistance.
Today, about 35 fruit trees had been planted, thanks to MPSJ while residents planted vegetables including sawi on a special vegetable plot during the launch.
“This piece of land has become a useful entity for the residents here. We had asked our hardworking MPSJ contractors to help us clean the place up,” Tan said, adding that some residents had even contributed their own plants.
He said it was not only about keeping the place clean but it was also a great way to interact with their neighbours and residents from neighbouring residential areas under the Zone 23 JKP.
Another resident Khairul Nizam Basir, 37, who had planted a row of banana trees, said it would be difficult to get the residents to participate at first.
“It will not be easy to get everyone to join hands because most people have this ‘wait and see’ policy, but if we prove it to them and show them it can be successful, they will join us,” he added.
