Paper week campaign targets students<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
As the volume of garbage produced in Jakarta
\ncontinues to grow incrementally, three non-governmental
\norganizations have targeted elementary school students for their
\npaper week campaign.<\/p>\n
But instead of just giving monotonous lectures, they are
\norganizing games, quizzes and interesting ways of dealing with
\ngarbage.<\/p>\n
The paper week is being organized by GE Elfun, an association
\nof volunteers under the auspices of the General Electric (GE)
\ncompany, which deals with social and welfare problems; the Love
\nIndonesian Children Group (KPAI), an organization dealing with
\nchildren's problems, and Aikon, which is concerned with the
\nenvironment, art and cultural heritage.<\/p>\n
\"Through these fun methods, we hope to provide some
\ninformation about environmental conservation to the students,\"
\nAulia Esti, the leader of the Love Indonesian Children Group,
\nsaid here last Saturday.<\/p>\n
About 100 students from Elementary Schools 01 and 02 Karet
\nSetiabudi, Central Jakarta, appeared curious during the two-hour
\npaper week program they attended in Setiabudi last Saturday.<\/p>\n
At first, there was a lecture on tree planting and garbage
\ndisposal.<\/p>\n
Aulia, who directed the program, made a presentation on how to
\nlook after a tree and how to treat biodegradable and non-
\nbiodegradable garbage.<\/p>\n
After this, there were games and quizzes concerning the same
\nthemes. The children became excited as they played a game in
\nwhich several students had to run to pick up some garbage and put
\nit in different basins based on the garbage type.<\/p>\n
After the games and quizzes were over, Aulia gave another
\nbrief presentation on paper recycling and showed how this could
\nbe done.<\/p>\n
Musician Dik Doank and model Lola Amaria, who volunteered to
\nentertain the students, also participated in the games.<\/p>\n
The students looked surprised when Aulia showed them some
\ncolorful recycled paper, books and picture frames made from waste
\npaper trash. They looked even more surprised when told that the
\ncolors were made naturally from plants such as pandanus and
\nturmeric.<\/p>\n
Many of the students showed interest in the program, not only
\nbecause they were encouraged to sing and be photographed with the
\ncelebrities, but also because they were learning about
\nenvironmental preservation.<\/p>\n
\"I never knew that waste paper could be recycled into such
\ninteresting things,\" 12-year-old Agus told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
However, some other students stated their disappointment as
\nthey missed out on some of the things that were happening.<\/p>\n
\"I couldn't see when the lady showed how to make recycled
\npaper even though I want to make it at home,\" said Aan, a fifth
\ngrade student, saying that the venue where the event was held was
\ntoo small.<\/p>\n
Raymond Michel Menot, spokesman for Aikon, said that they were
\ntargeting school students because they were the young generation
\nwho would be responsible for preserving the environment in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
\"With this program, we show that they can also help save our
\nenvironment simply by dumping garbage in garbage cans or using
\nrecycled paper,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Currently, Jakarta produces about 6.3 tons of garbage per day,
\nof which more than 10 percent consists of paper. \"If we don't use
\nthis waste paper, by recycling it for example, this means we are
\nthrowing away 37 tree trunks per day,\" he said, adding that the
\ncity administration could only handle about 85 percent of the
\ntotal garbage produced.<\/p>\n
The amount of garbage will continue to increase in line with
\npopulation growth.<\/p>\n
Ironically, most schools here fail to participate in such
\nenvironmental campaigns, said Haryuni Rochayati from Aikon.<\/p>\n
She said that the organization had invited over 300 schools,
\nranging from kindergartens to high schools, to join the program.<\/p>\n
However, only about 10 percent had done so, mostly private
\nschools such as the Jakarta International School, St. Theresia's,
\nAl Azhar and Madania.<\/p>\n
\"Most schools, even some prestigious ones, have yet to take
\nthe environment issue seriously. This is a sad reality as schools
\ncan actually play an important role in preserving the environment
\nin the future,\" she said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/paper-week-campaign-targets-students-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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