Eco-challenge to benefit community

(From left) Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Malaysian-Industry Government Group for High Technology (Might) cheif executive officer Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman, Johor State Education Department director Aminudin adam and IMkiko PLT chief executive officer Fu Yee Woei at the launching of The Iskandar Malaysia Eco-Life Challenge 2015.

JOHOR BARU: The Iskandar Malaysia Eco-Life Challenge (IMELC) 2015 is expected to rake in RM40,000 per month for the community living within Iskandar Malaysia through the environmental education competition.

IMELC is a student version of eco-household accounting requiring Primary Six pupils to record, evaluate and reflect on their household’s consumption of electricity and water usage in a workbook module.

The workbook submissions would then contribute points towards the school-level electricity, water-savings and waste recycling competition.

Johor Education Department director Aminuddin Adam said through this competition, it was estimated that the savings could reach up to about RM500,000 per year with more than 40,000 students participating this year.

“IMELC is the most consistent environmental education programme that has shown positive outcome through its school-level electricity and water saving and recycling competition.

“Apart from that, the income generated from recycling and money saved on electricity and water usage can help Iskandar’s primary schools strengthen their financial status to at least RM3.5mil,” he said.

In 2013, IMELC was introduced to 23 primary schools as a pilot programme to enhance school children’s awareness on the importance of adopting a low carbon lifestyle.

Low carbon lifestyle means actively trying to reduce the carbon type of fuel usage including travelling and electrical power production by using alternative sources such as solar electric systems and wind electric systems.

Meanwhile, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said IMELC had a lot of potential for income generation and money savings for schools and households in Iskandar.

Ismail added that a total of 226 primary schools participated in the IMELC 2015, which is being held between May 9 and Nov 11.

He said that other than energy consumption, waste generation and management, travelling choices, prudent consumption, using renewable energy resources (from the sun) and tree planting were also incorporated in the programme.

IMELC is jointly organised by social enterprise IMkiko PLT, Irda, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor State Education Department and Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development.