Talk Show about the #AsikTanpaSampahPlastik Movement Why do Plastics Impact Our Climate?
Riding on the momentum of #HariBumi2022 or Earth Day 2022, The Environmental and Conservation Cluster of Filantropi Indonesia or Indonesian Philanthropist initiated the #AsikTanpaSampahPlastik or Great Without Plastic Waste movement to invite people to adopt an environmentally-friendly lifestyle without using disposable plastics. The #AsikTanpaSampahPlastik movement consisted of a series of online and offline activities in the form of IG Live, Talk Show, Demo Eco-Enzyme, and also education to Junior and Senior High School students in Jakarta.
Session 1 of the Talk Show was entitled “Plastics and Climate Change”. It was held on Wednesday (13/4), and was attended by Jannata Giwangkara, the Senior Project Manager of the Climateworks Centre; Chandra Sugarda, the Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist of UNDP; and Novita Natalia, the Community Manager of Bicara Udara as resource persons. The discussion focused on plastic waste condition, which is currently creating a huge environmental problem. In addition to creating massive environmental damage and can persist for a long time, plastic waste and plastic production also play a part in rising climate change impact that is happening nowadays.
“More than 99% of plastic types were made of petrochemicals generally from oil and natural gas. These raw materials were distilled to make basic chemical compounds to make plastics, including ethylene, propylene, butene, and other basic materials before being produced and transported to factories,” emphasized Janata.
In addition, Janata also added that it is not only the basic materials for plastics that use oil and natural gas but making and distributing plastics also requires massive energy and is reliant on fossil fuels. These activities also contributed to a significantly large carbon print and caused the greenhouse effect.
“There is a survey saying that around 54.67% of households still burn their waste. This waste-burning process also negatively impacts the environment. Waste burning also creates greenhouse gas,” added Novia.
Novita added that the result of burning waste actually not only impacts climate change but also public health. Therefore, it is necessary to educate people on the importance of sorting waste and not burning waste.
Chandra provided a social view on the management of plastic waste and climate change from a gender perspective. Socially and culturally, women are placed more on domestic roles and taking care of their households. This even applies to women who are working. Women have a large role in selecting products that are environmentally friendly or not for their families.
“From a waste management side, women play a larger role in its reproduction stage. In households, as the ones responsible for managing them, usually women decide how their household waste will be disposed of, including the sorting process. Then, as household members who purchase household needs, women have a huge contribution in choosing goods and waste produced from their purchase”.
This TalkShow was open to the general public, university students, academics, journalists, etc, and was conducted through Zoom Meeting and can be rewatched on the Filantropi TV YouTube Channel with the following link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-E_BG-_WAs.
