Veterinary students of UGM joining Vetpagama student unit have raised a campaign for the reduction of plastic waste. They asked their fellow students to always bring a tumbler or drinking bottle while on campus. By doing this, they have already participated in the plastic waste reduction campaign while also living a healthy lifestyle by always drinking water.
“We plan to do the campaign every month,” said chairman of Vetpagama, Rahmat Teguh, to reporters at UGM on Wednesday (25/4).
In the tumbler campaign, the committee provides drinking refill facilities for those that came. "We provide water, tea, and milk for refills,” he said.
When the students are refilling the drinks, they will be handed a leaflet that promotes the use of tumbler to reduce plastic waste. The committee also put up posters displaying research on plastic waste impacts in Indonesia. "Based on research, we know that the amount of plastic waste in the sea in Indonesia ranks second after China,” he lamented.
For the time being, said Teguh, the campaign was done only on their campus. They plan to do it at other UGM faculties in the future.
Vina Rusandritani, vet student, said she always brought her own tumbler while on the go. “I’ve brought a tumbler since I was in junior high school,” she said.
Carrying drinking bottle habit, said Vina, was instilled by her parents. Apart from saving money, the habit made her drink water regularly. Moreover, there are free water fountains available on the campus. "I can refill my bottle twice a day,” said the girl from Madiun who always brings with her a 700 ml tumbler.