1,000 trees planted to observe Earth Day
1,000 trees planted to observe Earth Day
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A number of environmental non-governmental organizations (NGO)
gathered on Saturday to plant 1,129 trees in Lebak Bulus, South
Jakarta, in celebration of Earth Day, which fell on Wednesday.
The event was held by a number of NGOs, such as the World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF), the Indonesian Waste Forum, the
Environmentalist Farmer Group Sangga Buana and Clean Air Aware
Generation.
The celebration was opened by the wife of the district head of
Cilandak, South Jakarta, Sanusi Machmud, as the deputy governor
who was expected to inaugurate it could not attend. Officers from
the City Environmental Management Agency (BPLHD) and the Agency
for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) also were
unable to attend the event.
Some of the trees had been donated by the Ministry of
Forestry, the Java-Madura Forest Plant Seedling Center, the City
Park Agency, the Farming and Forestry Agency and the Ciliwung
river area center.
In addition to planting trees, a drawing competition as well
as a cross country walk and run were held.
The theme was "Nature is not our heritage, it belongs to our
next generation."
The activities, however, ended on a sad note as litter was
scattered everywhere at the site, showing that the main message
of Earth Day had failed to make an impression on guests,
participants and even organizers.
Not one garbage bin had been provided, either near the stage
where most of the guests had gathered, at the location of the
drawing competition or along the pathway for the cross country
run.
As a result, peanut shells, empty water bottles, wrappers and
plastic bags littered the ground.
The cross country walk and run along the Pesanggrahan
riverbanks involved about 20 participants aged between 15 and 61
years, said Nurina, the chief organizing officer. Most were
students.
The total distance of the run was about three kilometers.
The path led participants to areas which were still green and
natural. Several participants said they were surprised to know
there were still some green areas in a city like Jakarta.
Eighteen children participated in the drawing and coloring
competition.