Author: Alfin Heriagus
One of the annual work programs of the Environment Department of the Universitas Indonesia Student Executive Board (BEM UI), UI Youth Environmental Action (YEA), held a series of activities in 2021. This year, UI YEA carries the theme “Unlocking the Circular Economy Potential for a Global Sustainable Future” with project officer Kara Carolluna and Muhammad Dhafin as vice project officers.
This year’s theme is “circular economy” which means maintaining and optimizing the value of products for as long as possible; waste, and minimizing the use of resources, as well as utilizing end-of-life products to become more valuable and efficient. The purpose of UI YEA is to increase public awareness of the importance of environmental cleanliness and the dangers of waste, which is always increasing every year.
UI YEA itself has various series starting from July to November such as campus roadshow, public discussion & podcast, paper competition, coaching with experts, field event, and grand summit. To start with, the The campus roadshow was conducted to introduce UI YEA to universities, both at home and abroad related to the YEA.
After going through various series, on (20/11/2021) UI YEA held the final series leading to the culmination of the field event by donating a waste chopping machine to Yayasan Rumah Harum Depok, which has been coordinating with the Depok City Main Waste Bank. The benefit of a waste shredder is to minimize waste materials, especially plastic, to make it more efficient and recyclable so that it has a selling value.
The way the machine works is quite easy and environmentally friendly, starting with turning on the machine, putting the garbage into the machine, then the garbage is chopped with a knife in the machine tube. Next, the shredded product will be removed from the dispensing funnel, and collected in a separate container so that it does not scatter. In line with one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 12, which are responsible consumption and production, this waste shredder is expected to create the potential for a sustainable circular economy that helps reduce plastic waste.
The final series of UI YEA field events held on Jl. Merdeka, Mekar Jaya, Sukmajaya District, Depok City, attended by Djakaria (Chairman of RW 6), Herman (Chairman of Rumah Harum Foundation), Leon Alvinda (Chairman of BEM UI), Nurul Isnaeni Ph.D (UI YEA 2021 Assistant Lecturer), and Nouvna Nore Susimah (Mpok Depok). However, before the peak event took place, UI YEA had conducted counseling on November 7 and 14 at the Johar III field in RW 06 Sukmajaya with the target of residents in the location, especially PKK women in each RT in RW 06 Sukmajaya Depok. On this occasion, the UI YEA committee collaborated to present the material with Herman during the counseling.
Kara Carolluna, project officer of UI YEA 2021, gave a speech at the peak of the event, expressing the importance of increasing public awareness of the environment and plastic waste today. Through the UI YEA series, he hopes that the BEM UI Environment Department can act as a platform for young people to innovate and create solutions to environmental challenges. Furthermore, he also said, by donating a waste chopping machine is a form of real implementation of UI YEA as a form of concern for the environment, especially plastic waste which continues to increase every year.
Agreeing with Kara Carolluna, the chairman of BEM UI 2021, Leon Alvinda, said that the UI YEA activity is a form of implementation of the tridharma of higher education, namely community service. He added that in essence, students are an integral part of society, so students must return to society itself. “This UI YEA activity is one of the concrete forms of UI friends in carrying out the tridharma of higher education,” Leon said. He hopes that by providing a shredder to the Rumah Harum Foundation, it can improve the waste recycling process in the RW 06 Sukmajaya area.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Herman salutes the spirit of the UI YEA organizers who have carried out several series well and smoothly. “Their enthusiasm shows that students are us, and we the people are always together with students,” said Herman, Chairman of Rumah Harum Foundation. In addition to expressing his gratitude for the gift of the waste chopper, he also always gives positive support to students to do the best things for the community, such as educating the importance of utilizing waste into more value through the waste chopper.
UI YEA will hold its culminating event, the Grand Summit, on Saturday, November 27, 2021. The event will further discuss the potential of the circular economy through international and national webinars and talk shows. The UI YEA 2021 event was sponsored by the UIrectorStudent Affairs, PT Pupuk Indonesia Energi, Rekind, and Jaya Drinking Water Company and involved many partnerships such as Greeneration Foundation, Green Welfare Indonesia, Indonesian Ocean Pride, Carbon Ethics, Bebas Sampah Indonesia and many others.
