Students pledges cleaner, greener Padang
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang
In a bid to make the West Sumatra capital city of Padang a clean and green city, junior high school student Febri Ani Syofyan has two programs in mind -- planting a million trees and collecting a million plastic bags.
The SMPN 10 junior high school student suggested the programs in a letter addressed to city Sanitary and Park Office head Afrizal Khaidir, standing in for Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar at a recent contest organized by the USAID Environmental Service Program in Padang. About 170 students took part.
"Just imagine, if the programs were to be implemented in every junior and high school in Padang ... the government could save a lot of funds from its budget, and we students would be more aware of the importance of trees for the future of the Earth," Febri said.
The letter won first prize in the Letter to the Mayor Contest for high school students in line with the Padang-Clean and Green City campaign.
In the million-tree program, Febri said, students were required to bring seedlings to school to nurture as part of their biology lessons. Each student then reported the progress of their seedlings and presented this as a project to the class. At the end of the semester, students would be graded on their work and the trees would be ready to plant.
In the million plastic bags program, students must bring a plastic bag every day to school and pick up trash they see on the way. The bins are then emptied into the school's garbage system.
"The collected garbage will be sorted. The recyclable trash will be used for materials in arts class, while organic waste would be processed into a compost mixture in biology class," Febri said.
She had promised in her letter to use part of the Rp 2 million (US$200.00) prize money to visit Bali and learn garbage management from an expert, Professor I Gusti Nyoman.
"I will also form a student cleanliness awareness group in school upon my return," she said.
Responding to Febri's letter, Afrizal Khaidir promised to implement her ideas in a program by the Padang municipality.
"Public participation, especially among the younger generation, is needed to make Padang a clean and healthy city. Many of the ideas formulated by students through the contest are innovative and can be put to practice," he said.
Padang city produces at least 400 tons of household waste each day. More garbage is thrown into rivers and winds up in estuaries and on the coastline.
"The municipality is only able to collect Rp 2 billion in garbage tax each year, which is not enough to manage garbage and regreen the city. We are looking forward to the public's participation, including students," Afrizal said.
A regular winner of the environmental Adipura Award since 1985, Padang City is now vying for the Southeast Asia Clean City title.
However, public awareness about the importance of cleanliness was still low, Afrizal said.
"To remind residents of the need for cleanliness, the municipality will issue a regulation in February next year to fine residents for littering," Afrizal said.
UNAID Sumatra public outreach and communication specialist Syafrizaldi said students and schools had the means to make the program come true.
"The students are full of creativity and we can count on them to manage the environment in the future. But they have to be encouraged to respect the environment," he said.
In the second semester of 2006, USAID will organize a school cleanliness contest, a tree planting activity and a recycled material parade. In the parade, each junior high school represented will parade with objects created from recyclable waste found on Padang beach.
"We will provide assistance in the activities involving students next year, like by assisting Febri to realize her goal to form a student cleanliness awareness group," Syafrizaldi said.