Environmental Awareness Project: Blitar, East Java

By Barrie | September 10th, 2007 | No Comments

A new effort is underway in Blitar, East Java, to improve the environmental awareness of residents through an environmental teaching project called Rumah Belajar Kearifan Lingkungan.

Spearheaded by the Yosep Foundation and the Urban Community Empowerment Center (Pusdakota) at Surabaya University, the facility, officially inaugurated on July 23, is envisioned as a place where people from all walks of life can come and learn about the environment.

The project has existed in embryonic form since 2005, when the idea was first proposed for establishing an environmentally based program.

At the time, however, there were not enough qualified people to get the project off the ground.

Pusdakota, which is concerned with similar issues, revived the idea.

“We discussed the matter with Pusdakota and we both agreed to realize the program,” Yosep Foundation chairwoman Sister Anastasia said.

They conducted in-depth studies and ultimately found a location for the facility, at the Santa Maria Catholic elementary school in Blitar.

The school, founded in 1927, was chosen because it has sufficient land.

“There is a 1.5 hectare park at our disposal,” said Anastasia.
It took Pusdakota two years to get Rumah Belajar Kearifan Lingkungan launched.

Under the shade of some trees, beyond the Catholic school, sit a new compost and waste management building, areas for organic farm cultivation and livestock breeding, as well as facilities for outdoor activities.

Several older trees in the area were removed because they were at risk of toppling, and were replaced by a lawn and plots for cultivating plants.

The facility is seen as an opportunity to bring a new level of environmental awareness to the people of the city.

“The older generation in Blitar is less aware of the environment, that’s why the only hope we have is the younger generation,” Blitar Mayor Djarot Saiful Hidayat said.

Djarot believes the amount of waste produced by the city can be cut in half if residents implement waste management programs like the ones taught at the new facility.

“Conditions could gradually improve in the long run because the younger generation will grow up to be adults who are aware of the environment,” he said.

The city has attempted to introduce environmental issues into local schools but has had little success, partly due to the inflexibility of the education system.

Pusdakota vice director Nila Mardiana said the group introduced a program to state-run schools in Surabaya but it was not well received by those in the education bureaucracy.

“Unfortunately, the schools lacked the commitment to continue with the program after we left,” said Nila, adding that a fresh mind-set is key to introducing environmentally based education to students.

Santa Maria principal Sister Elfrida said the school had introduced environmental education even before the arrival of the new facility.

“It’s actually simple … we will ask the students to go to the park to learn about flowers, the soil and other things during biology lessons,” she said.

Some students may initially shun the lessons, she said, but eventually they will learn to appreciate the “wonders” of nature.

“I’ve seen a student quietly plant a seed in the garden in front of the class. He watered the seed every day until it finally sprouted. It’s simple yet something which we can be proud of,” Elfrida said.

ID Nugroho