PAPUA – The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) of Indonesia notes that the country generates 8.3 million tons of waste annually, posing a significant problem. To address this issue, Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer and the Disaster Management Center (DMC) of Dompet Dhuafa have collaborated to organize the Voluntrip Waste Summit event.
The Voluntrip Waste Summit is organized with the objective of promoting values of goodness in tourist areas, as well as contributing to environmental protection, especially in the face of the growing issue of plastic waste. It is widely recognized that plastic waste is extremely detrimental to the environment and nature. This type of waste can lead to soil pollution because of its non-biodegradable nature, posing a significant threat to the surrounding living beings.
The event, which involved hundreds of volunteers from across Indonesia, was held from September 9, 2023, and concluded in early October 2023 in 11 cities, including Aceh, Medan, Bontang, Mount Ciremai, Cilacap, Kupang, Bali, Maluku, Rinjani, and ended in Papua.
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Ika Akmala, the Officer for Community and Volunteers at Dompet Dhuafa, stated, “This activity has been positively received by the community, especially by youth communities concerned about the environment.”
The Voluntrip Waste Summit also received support from the government and other stakeholders.
“The government and other stakeholders are willing to collaborate in this series of activities. The communities that have collaborated in the Voluntrip Waste Summit Papua include the Tuli Jayapura community, Rumah Bakau, Earth Hour, Indonesia Teaching Forum in Papua, Ecodefender, and Peer Counselor LKC DD,” she continued.
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This voluntrip is not Dompet Dhuafa’s first environmental initiative. Previously, Dompet Dhuafa has conducted revitalization of tourist destinations, planted hundreds of mangroves, distributed Ecobags, etc., as efforts to prevent and repair environmental damage.
“We have obtained data on the identification of plastic types and brands that are the biggest contributors to waste (top polluters) in 11 provinces, from Aceh to Papua. Holtekamp Beach along the Youtefa Red Bridge coast over Youtefa Bay is one of the favorite beaches in Jayapura. Unfortunately, along Holtekamp Beach, many piles of scattered waste were found. Therefore, this beach was chosen as one of the locations for the Voluntrip Waste Summit Papua for a waste siege and brand audit,” she said.
The Voluntrip Waste Summit is open to anyone, be they individuals or communities.
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“To participate and collaborate in this activity, you can contact me, Ika Akmala, at 0857 9750 9488. This week, the Voluntrip Waste Summit will be held in Bali, and tickets can be accessed here,” she concluded.
Ika Akmala added that the Voluntrip Waste Summit aims to cultivate good habits among the public for environmental preservation.
“We hope this activity will create a real experience for the involved community and foster good habits in environmental care. From the brand audit data we obtained, we hope for concrete responsibility from companies to manage the waste they produce,” she said. (Dompet Dhuafa/Syafira)