The Zero-Waste towards a Sustainable Community project was created to help the community to establish waste management programme that best suit the community, trains the community on best practices of waste management toward zero waste, and increase community awareness on waste management. The Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has collaborated with Penang Green Council (PGC) to meet the goals of the project by working with the community at Balik Pulau, Penang.
The community at Balik Pulau, Penang is located at the southwest of Penang Island with almost 23,559 of population size and mainly occupied by older persons. This community is in the sub-urban area of Penang Island and is about twelve miles from the Universiti Sains Malaysia. The community was led by the head of village Kampung Perlis, Balik Pulau, Penang. The collaboration was made with the community’s representative, head of village by sending an official letter to invite the community to collaborate in this project.
The students from Public Sector Economics (SEU335E) and Tourism Economics (SEU338E) courses from the university were invited to assist the community with the implementation for the whole of training activities as a group. The students were used the project activities as their case study that required them to fulfill their field work task. The students also have involved in the meeting between the university, the city partner, and the community to discuss more on activities for that suit the community.