The Strengthening Environmental Conservation project is a collaborative effort between Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) through its EduGreen Centre, the Habitat Foundation, and the Ayer Hitam Community Centre, aimed at promoting sustainable food waste management and environmental education in communities surrounding Georgetown, Penang. This initiative centers around empowering local schools, teachers, and residents through training, technology, and community engagement to adopt composting practices using the Smart Eco Food Waste Composter (EFWC), developed by Prof. Dr. Che Zalina and team’s from UPSI.
The project addresses the urgent need to reduce food and plant waste in urban and peri-urban communities by introducing effective, environmentally friendly composting solutions. The Smart EFWC machine accelerates the breakdown of organic waste into nutrient-rich compost in a clean and controlled manner, making it suitable for use in schools, community gardens, and local farms. By situating the project within the Ayer Hitam Community Centre, which serves as a hub for surrounding neighborhoods in Georgetown, the initiative ensures broad community access, hands-on participation, and visibility.
At the core of the project is a strong focus on research, education, and community impact. From an academic perspective, the EFWC machine supports UPSI students and researchers in studying decomposition processes, waste-to-resource systems, and soil restoration through compost. These activities contribute to environmental research, academic coursework, and student-led innovation in sustainable practices.
A major feature of the project is its commitment to teacher training and school engagement. In partnership with the Habitat Foundation, specialized workshops are conducted for teachers from local schools to deepen their understanding of sustainable waste management and how to incorporate composting into the school curriculum. Teachers receive both theoretical knowledge and practical guidance, enabling them to implement and maintain composting activities in their schools and act as sustainability champions. This train-the-trainer model ensures long-term impact by embedding environmental practices into daily school operations.
The project also includes interactive education programs for students, led by UPSI’s EduGreen Centre Student Committee. These sessions take place during scheduled school visits to the Ayer Hitam Community Centre and include live composting demonstrations, waste separation exercises, and environmental awareness activities. Students learn the science behind composting and the importance of responsible consumption, encouraging them to adopt eco-conscious habits both at school and at home. The educational component runs two to three times a year, ensuring regular community engagement and continual growth of environmental knowledge.
Beyond education, the project supports community-based income opportunities by turning compost into a marketable product. The compost generated from the Smart EFWC machine is collected, packaged, and either used locally for urban farming and gardening or sold by community members. This model supports green entrepreneurship by enabling local families and school eco-clubs to participate in environmentally friendly micro-enterprises.
Environmentally, the project advances key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). By diverting food waste from landfills and transforming it into a beneficial resource, the project helps reduce methane emissions, enrich urban soils, and foster a culture of sustainability.
In summary, Strengthening Environmental Conservation is a holistic initiative that blends smart technology, hands-on education, and community participation to build a greener future in the Georgetown area. Through strong partnerships with the Habitat Foundation, Ayer Hitam Community Centre, and UPSI EduGreen Centre, the project creates meaningful environmental impact while empowering individuals and institutions to lead the way in sustainability.