Innovation for students can actually be a solution to the problems faced by society and continues to be a driving force in efforts to improve environmental sustainability. As was done by students from the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology (TRKI) Study Program at Undip Vocational School, who successfully secured funding for the 2024 Student Creativity Program (PKM). The competitive student program funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Research, and Technology is the Field of Science and Technology Application (PKM-PI) with a team consisting of 5 students. This PKM-PI team is led by Salsa Kamilia and 4 student members, namely Alam Surya Negara, Amsal Jobit Mangaraja Sinaga, Mohamad Rasyid Bahaudin, and Yessy Nathania, and is accompanied by Rizka Amalia, ST. MT, as the supervising lecturer. The theme addressed in the PKM-PI is “Implementation of a Tofu Waste Liquid Fertilizer Fermentor (FERMENTA) Based on the ESP32 Microcontroller at the Tahu Cikal Production House, Ma.Ede, as an Effort to Process Waste”.
Salsa Kamilia, commonly known as Salsa, stated that the initial idea for this PKM team came about during a food technology course assignment involving a visit to a small-scale industry/production house that processes food ingredients requiring fermentation. From there, Salsa Kamilia remembered one of the tofu production houses she had visited, which was called Rumah Produksi Tahu Cikal.Ma.Ede, located at Jl. Klipang Raya Golf, Plamongan Sari, Pedurungan District, Semarang City. Although the tofu production house is very promising in its output, it turns out to produce waste in the form of tofu dregs and liquid waste. Even the waste treatment process is not well managed, leading to an unpleasant odor in the work environment. This creates an uncomfortable environment for workers and leads to environmental pollution around the landfill, according to Alam, who calls Alam Surya Negara.