Channel NewsAsia 25 Nov 07;
SINGAPORE: The Jurong Town Council is set to launch a first-ever GRC-wide "Cash For Trash" programme to drive home the message that it pays to care for the environment.
Come 9 December, Jurong residents will be able to cash in on their trash every Sunday morning from 7.30am to 12 noon at recycling stations located around the estate.
This will, hopefully, encourage residents to adopt a greener lifestyle.
Halimah Yacob, MP of the Jurong GRC, said: "People find it convenient to dump their rubbish on the way to the market or to the coffee shops. We started a pilot (programme) in Bukit Batok and managed to gather over 128,000 kg of rubbish and we paid the residents S$26,000, so it's really tangible, very successful. Now we are starting another five stations in Jurong Town Council."
After a tree planting exercise that symbolised the community's commitment to keep the estate clean, Mdm Halimah said there are further plans to cut down energy consumption.
The Town Council is looking to adopt new energy-saving practices such as replacing fluorescent tubes to LED lighting for all block signages.
Park lighting will also be replaced with amalgam lamps.
All in, this could result in cost savings of up to 80 percent, which could be channelled to fund more activities for the residents.
Apart from caring for the environment, the Town Council also hopes to promote active ageing by providing cleaning jobs for senior citizens.
A good role model is 77-year-old Haji Hussin Majid, who is one of the 17 winners of the Best Cleaner Award for this year's island-wide Cleanest Estate Competition.- CNA/so
