Story

Community Work in Curbing the Climate Crisis

24 November 2022

A middle-aged woman with a red hijab posing for the camera as she stands in the middle of an alley while holding a handmade grocery bag.

By: Hofi Hannan Ar Rosyid

The hustle and bustle of the traditional market condition where people appear to be busy shopping. — Caption: The hustle and bustle of the traditional market - crowd surges in the Kepatihan market which many local residents visit in the morning

The world population is increasing exponentially every year. According to the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs, the total population in Indonesia had increased by 1.13% in 2022 from the previous year.

The traditional market fills a long alley next to train tracks. The alley is full of people shopping. — Caption: Gebang Market - A traditional market which lies next to train tracks.

A local resident shopping for tomatoes in the vegetable store. They hold some money while waiting for their order. — Caption: Necessities - A local resident shopping for daily necessities in the traditional market

The increasing birth rate boosts the public’s needs. Every day, many Indonesians would go to the nearest traditional market or shop to buy daily supplies and fulfill their needs; with plastic bags.

Piles of garbage are scattered along the market street. In the background is an older woman with a pink hijab preparing her shop. — Caption: Scattered garbage - Piles of garbage are scattered along the market street

The terrible smell from all of the waste gets even stronger as you go deeper into the market.

Garbage litter is found on every marketplace corner, mostly from discarded vegetables. — Caption: Garbage - Litter is found on every corner of the marketplace

Public awareness of environmental cleanliness is still relatively low in places like these as many garbage still scatters in almost every corner of the market. People are often reluctant to properly dispose of their rubbish and would prefer to wait for cleaning services to do the job for them.

Street cleaning services sweep litters and debris that scatter along the street. — Caption: Street Sweepers - Street cleaning services sweep litters and debris that scatter along the street

The garbage disposal site is filled with various unseparated waste. In the center is a man riding a truck that carries garbage. — Caption: TPA Pakusari - Garbage disposal site in Jember

The towering hill of garbage at the landfill site is filled with various unseparated waste. One man and one woman hike the garbage mountain. — Caption: Garbage Mountain - The towering hill of garbages at the landfill site

In the Tempat Pembuangan Akhir Pakusari Jember, or also known as the Pakusari Landfill site, about 150 tons of solid waste are dumped every day. Collected from the 15 sub-districts in the Jember regency, the municipal solid waste consisted of plastic waste, organic and inorganic waste, tree trunks and other trash’.

Waste scavengers sorting waste at the landfill under shelters built from recovered materials. — Caption: Activities of waste scavengers’ at the TPA - waste scavengers sorting waste at the TPA Pakusari under shelters built from recovered materials

Even so, many Indonesians are still careless about littering, which adds on to the issue of rampant plastic usage in Jember. Through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations is calling on people across the globe to reduce the use of plastic.

A local river is filled with plastic waste. Some of the trash is stuck on the side of the river and nearby trees. — Caption: Improper disposal of trash - Plastic waste thrown into the river by the local community from the bridge above

A man wearing a bright orange shirt stands in the middle of the river. In the background are some trees and a tall building. — Caption: Surfing through the river - Saiful (23) a volunteer who is collecting trash along the Bedadung River in support of the World Cleanup Day International 2022

Saiful (23) is a World Cleanup Day International (WCDI) Volunteer who engaged in clean-up activities along the Bedadung River to sustain river ecosystems, prevent flooding and stop climate change.

Five men cleaning up the river and collecting the trash. In the background, some Indonesian military men also help do the same. — Caption: WCDI 2022 - Local communities are engaging in clean-up activities along the river flow

During his trash collection process, the sight of plastic waste and baby diapers was ubiquitous to Saiful.

A middle-aged woman with a red hijab sitting in a room while crafting a grocery bag using plastic waste from instant coffee as her primary material. — Caption: Plastic waste craftsman - Suswati, a local bag craftsman, uses plastic waste from coffee shops as her primary crafting material

There is also Suswati (54), who is known as an inspirational figure in her local community. She is a housewife who upcycles plastic waste as handicraft materials. Every day, she goes to warung kopi (Coffee Shop) to collect used plastic coffee packs and convert them into commercially viable knitted handbags.

Four children crafting a grocery bag using plastic waste from instant coffee as their primary material. — Caption: A process of learning - local children learning how to upcycle plastic waste into crafts

Her talents are passed on to the children in her community. Through promoting the creativity of upcycling, Suswati hopes that these children can grow to become aware of the detrimental impact of climate change.

Pieces of plastic being put together as a knitting pattern to create a grocery bag. — Caption: Crafting plastic technique - Putting together pieces of plastic waste into a knitting pattern

She said that while the impact of excessive plastic usage may not be felt now, this unsustainable pattern of consumption may result in unintended consequences that may compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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