PJ council offers 'green' rebates

THE Petaling Jaya City Council will offer assessment rebates of up to 100 per cent to house owners who observe the six key green components.


The council has set the key components to help residents focus on their green efforts. The components include the usage of energy, water, waste management, transportation, bio-diversity and other creative initiatives.

“I encourage everyone to practise at least three of the six green initiatives,” said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

He recently announced that 45 households have received assessment rebates for their green initiatives this year.

House owners who practise at least three of the six green components are eligible for assessment rebate.

Among house owners who enjoyed the rebates were those who have installed solar-powered water heaters in their homes. Others have practised rain water harvesting and used only energy saving bulbs.

All decisions to offer assessment rebate will be made only after house inspection by the council officers.

Head of One-Stop Centre and Secretariat of Low Carbon Green City of Petaling Jaya task force Lee Lih Shyan said the electricity rebate would be implemented soon.

“This is to encourage city folks, especially those from the lower-income families, to do their share for the environment,” he said.

Lee added that the average electricity usage in Petaling Jaya was 113 kilowatt-hour (kWh) per person in a month.

The rebate will be determined based on a household’s electricity bill. As for water consumption, a person in Selangor uses 237 litres of water per day, much higher than the world average of 165 litres of water per person per day.

Lee said he will be representing the council at the upcoming Rio + 20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“Treat each day as a World Environment Day. The council can’t force you but can only influence your decisions,” he said.

Since 2010, the council has introduced many incentives to encourage residents to adopt green initiatives.

The council will be holding a Food Bank on June 26 at 8th Avenue in Section 8. This is aimed at avoiding food wastage, especially in the food industry while at the same time helping the needy. Hotels, eateries and individuals can donate cooked food to be distributed to the needy.

Within the next six months, city folk will also see new solar-powered recycling bins in the city. Known as the 3R Box, the bins will also act as an advertising tool to promote recycling. It will be placed in public places such as busy walkways. This is to encourage the public to help reduce, reuse and recycle.

By SHEILA SRI PRIYA
PETALING JAYA
streets@nstp.com.my


ENTIVE:House owners stand to enjoy up to 100 per cent off assessment

The council also offers three months of free council parking for city folk who purchased hybrid cars from car dealers in the city. This is to encourage low carbon emission.

Based on the Petaling Jaya 2020 Special Area Draft Plan, battery-powered modern trishaws would be introduced in the city. The trishaws are not only environmental friendly but also a cheaper mode of public transport compared to the taxis.

Starting this year, the council encourages its staff on Fridays to use their own food containers instead of getting their food packed in polystyrene containers.

The council’s public relation officer Zainun Zakariah said she has a stainless-steel food container which she uses to buy food since the campaign was launched.

“My husband said my food container looks just like the ones used by foreign construction workers. I say so be it. I do not think it is embarrassing to bring your own food containers,” said Zainun.

To promote healthy living, the council encourages its staff to go vegetarian on Mondays. Guests who attend council-related events on Mondays will also be served vegetarian dishes.


Council staff Norshalizawati Baharudin said the idea of going “meatless” is foreign to her. But since the campaign was introduced, she realised there were many vegetarian food choices.

“Vegetarian meals do not necessary mean we must only eat green vegetables. There are soy-based products which do taste similar to meat but only healthier,” she said.

Early this year the council also launched a campaign to fix energy-saving bulbs at the back portion of some 400 houses here. This is also part of the council’s effort to prevent crime.

Starting last year, all new developments in the city must also be installed with energy-saving lights.

Last September, several councillors cycled, took the public bus and even one walked to the council’s full-board meeting to show their support for the Car-Free Day.

Campaign to curb litterbugs called the “Anti Kutu Sampah” was also launched last year. This is to instill good civic consciousness among the public to help keep their environment clean.

Article Source http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/pj-council-offers-green-rebates-1.91129