Empowering the Community of Selong Belanak Village through the Utilization of Coconut Shell Waste into Economically Valuable Briquettes.

Abstract

Selong Belanak Village is a prominent marine tourism destination in Central Lombok Regency that faces environmental challenges due to the accumulation of coconut shell waste from tourist consumption. This waste often clogs drainage systems and serves as a habitat for disease vectors. This Community Service Program (KKN) aims to empower the community by converting coconut shell waste into economically valuable charcoal briquettes. The method employed was a participatory-educational approach involving field surveys, socialization, technical production training, and business management assistance. The briquette production process consists of carbonization, crushing, mixing with tapioca adhesive, molding, and drying. The results indicate that the community and village officials responded positively to this innovation as an appropriate, eco-friendly solution. Beyond reducing waste volume in the coastal area, the program hopefully created new entrepreneurial opportunities for the Youth Organization (Karang Taruna) and Tourism Awareness Groups (Pokdarwis) through renewable energy products characterized by stable combustion temperatures and minimal smoke. Consequently, this waste utilization contributes to enhancing the aesthetic value of the tourism area while strengthening the economic independence of the local community.