Cooking oil for cash

CDC’s plans to save energy will also help residents save money in the downturn
Ong Dai Lin, Today Online 19 Jan 09;

To help low income households in South West Community Development Council (CDC) reduce 10 per cent of their energy consumption, 500 student Energy Auditors from ITE College West will visit them to teach energy saving methods.

The South West 10% ECo Challenge programme is expected to benefit up to 1,000 households this year, starting next month.

Dr Amy Khor, mayor of the south-west district, also announced yesterday at the launch of the 10-year Environment & Community (ECo) Plan South West that a programme to recycle used cooking oil will begin next month in collaboration with Alpha Biofuels and National Environment Agency’s South West Regional Office.

Residents can receive 20 cents for every litre of used cooking oil that they bring to collection points set up monthly at one of the town centres.

Hong Kah North Community Centre and Gek Poh Ville Community Centre received the ECo Community Centre certification, a spin-off from the Project Eco Office certification programme initiated by South West CDC and the Singapore Environment Council.

To further promote a spirit of community amid the economic downturn, a Kampung Spirit @ South West Award will be given out next month to recognise residents who have displayed social graciousness.

“Practising good environmental habits not only save the environment but can also help us cut costs to cope with the economic downturn,” said Dr Khor.

For South West CDC, recycling programmes like “Trash for Cash” and “Trash for Groceries” benefit residents by letting them exchange unwanted goods for money or groceries.

Dr Khor also said that over the last three months, South West CDC has seen a28 per cent increase in the number of residents who have come forward to seek social assistance.

There has also been a 42-per-cent increase in those looking for employment assistance.

South West CDC looks after 734,000 residents and it handles an average of 24,000 cases needing financial and employment aid each year.

Late last month, the CDC launched a South West CDC’s Interim Coping Package for Economic Downturn to help residents affected by the downturn.

So far, the CDC has approved 25 applications under the new scheme.

South West CDC promotes cost-saving eco-projects among households
Ng Suan Jee, Channel NewsAsia 19 Jan 09;

SINGAPORE: Saving the environment can also lead to saving costs.

This is what the South West Community Development Council (CDC) hopes to achieve through its eco-projects.

It is encouraging recycling by handing out rice and instant noodles to residents in exchange for recyclable materials.

Some 500 ITE students will also teach 1,000 lower-income households how to be more energy efficient.

Residents can look forward to receiving rewards, including energy efficient desk lamp and electric kettle, if they achieve a target of 10 percent or more energy savings in their electricity bills. - CNA/de