'Garbage will remain a headache'<\/p>\n
In observance of World Environment Day on June 5, The Jakarta
\nPost interviewed some people about the public's awareness of the
\nneed to conserve natural resources. Some of them shared their
\nviews on the importance of minimizing household waste by
\nencouraging recycling.<\/p>\n
Mutiara, 25, is an employee at the Islamic State University in
\nCiputat, South Jakarta. She lives with her parents in Bogor:<\/p>\n
I think we will continue to have problems with the current
\ndisastrous garbage and pollution situations if we keep thinking
\nthey way we do now. Many of us still believe that garbage is not
\nan our immediate concern, and that we can throw away whatever we
\nwant as there will always be a garbage collector to take it away.<\/p>\n
In my view, recycling will not help a lot as only some kinds
\nof garbage can be recycled with our current technology. So, unless
\nwe have technology that can recycle everything, then we will have
\nto change our mindset to be able to minimize the amount of
\ngarbage we produce.<\/p>\n
So, how can we hope to deal with garbage using environmentally
\nfriendly methods -- such as separating organic and inorganic
\nwaste in our own homes -- if we don't even think we have a
\ngarbage problem?<\/p>\n
Chicha, 24, works for a non-governmental organization in
\nCentral Jakarta. She lives with her parents in Duren Tiga, South
\nJakarta:<\/p>\n
I think we have a problem with garbage and the environment as
\nour legal system doesn't encourage people to deal with their own
\ntrash wisely.<\/p>\n
As we know, households produce much more garbage than
\nindustry, but households are never punished for that.<\/p>\n
All of our law enforcers focus on industry as they are the big
\nfish, and automatically lead to a lot of publicity if the law
\nenforcers succeed in uncovering, for instance, environmental
\ncrimes by a company. In addition, I am concerned that there is a
\nlot of scope for bribery when law enforcers are dealing with
\nfirms.<\/p>\n
Basically, I think we can prevent environmental problems being
\ncaused by industry as long as our law enforcers are not corrupt.
\nBut how can we deal with the problems resulting from household
\nwaste if we don't start reducing the amount of garbage we produce
\nor start recycling it?<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/garbage-will-remain-a-headache-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }