UGM Faculty of Geography launched the green bike movement or also known by the Green Geo Bike (GGB) in order to promote cycling habit among the academic community, students, faculty and employees of the UGM. The launch was marked by the release of 52 cyclist students by Dean of the UGM Faculty of Geography, Prof. Dr. Suratman, M. Sc, Tuesday (7/6). They rode to 18 of UGM faculties, distributing leaflets for the green bicycle campaign.
The committee chairman who is also Geography student, Aditya Oktorio, said the cycling campaign was started by the students. The activity is held to commemorate Earth Day and Environment Day. Furthermore, the movement also aims to promote cycling among the students. "We want to invite students to love cycling. Not only it is environmentally friendly, cycling also makes the body healthier," he said. He hopes that there will be more UGM community who like riding bicycle and reduce the use of motorized vehicles that cause plenty of air pollution.
Prof. Dr. Suratman, M.Sc., expressed his appreciation to students who promote the culture of cycling as a form of love for the environment. In his opinion, it was in accordance with the philosophy of the Geography Faculty as the custodian of the environment. "The faculty has the responsibility to protect the earth of the threat of global warming and environmental pollution," he said.
He added that in its development, the Faculty of Geography currently has succeeded in developing sustainable development education in each activity. Examples are there is no more garbage burning and no cigarette smoke on campus, also tree planting movement and cycling movement. "All of those aims to train the academic community to love the environment," he said.
The GGB activity is also intended as an activity to support the UGM as an environmentally friendly educopolis campus because, later, in the university there will be more pedestrians and cyclists. Suratman confirmed that he will support the movement of cyclists in the academic community, one of them by reducing motor vehicle parking area and replacing it with parking areas for bikes. "We will routinely register the increasing number of bicycles in the parking lot. If the number increases, this program will succeed," he said.
To increase the number of bicycle riders, Suratman said that he will cooperate with a third party for the procurement. "We will look for sponsors so the students could get free bicycles," he said.
In addition, students who often ride bicycles to the campus will be awarded a scholarship by the name of student bike scholarships. "There is a selection of students who ride bicycle to encourage students to cycling," he concluded.