Waste management remains a serious issue in Indonesia, particularly in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. If not correctly handled, it will lead to a surge in waste accumulation and potential health risks.
This spirit of reducing waste was also brought into the UGM Student Orientation PIONIR Gadjah Mada, which runs from Jul. 29 to Aug. 3, 2024.
The University Secretary, Dr. Andi Sandi Tabusassa Tonralipu, stated that UGM, as part of DIY, must participate in environmental conservation by reducing waste. Consequently, the 10,678 new UGM students are encouraged to join the movement to reduce waste on campus and in their surrounding environments.
“In this year’s orientation, UGM focuses on reducing food and plastic waste. All faculties have eliminated lunch boxes and snacks,” Dr. Tonralipu said on Thursday (Aug. 1).
PIONIR UGM 2024, he continued, serves as proof of UGM’s contribution to reducing daily waste volume in Yogyakarta. All 18 faculties and one vocational college receiving new undergraduate students have been mandated to bring their eating utensils for snacks and lunch.
“Some faculties ask vendors to provide serving plates for lunch. As for drinking, each faculty offers Toyagama drinking water in gallon form and water fountains, but students must bring their eco-friendly refillable bottles (tumblers),” added Dr. Tonralipu.
In line with this waste reduction policy, the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM) distributed 1,000 free tumblers to new students on Wednesday (Jul. 31).
The event began with the symbolic handover of tumblers, sponsored by the Koperasi Sospol Sejahtera Bersama through the Fisipoint Business Unit, to new student representatives from six departments during the PIONIR Society 2024 opening ceremony at the Fisipol building.
Dean of Fisipol UGM, Dr. Wawan Mas’udi, emphasized the importance of sustainability in education and the environment.
“As future leaders, it is crucial for students to understand the impact of their consumption choices on the environment. Hence, integrating sustainability into campus culture is vital,” he said.
Dean Mas’udi hopes this program can help reduce single-use plastic consumption on campus and encourage students to adopt sustainable habits early in their academic journey.
Similarly, the UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM) distributed 700 tumblers to its new students.
The tumblers were symbolically handed over by the Dean of FEB UGM, Professor Didi Achjari, to new student representatives from three departments during the faculty’s orientation SIMFONI at FEB UGM Plaza.
“FEB UGM embraces the sustainability mission by actively participating and contributing to preventing plastic waste on campus,” Dean Achjari explained.
With the tagline “Tumbler is Better,” the Vice Dean of FEB UGM for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Bayu Sutikno, hopes students as future leaders will become more aware of waste reduction efforts and start taking responsibility for contributing to environmental preservation and sustainability.
The UGM Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM), a benchmark for various institutions in university-level waste management, also gave each new student free tumblers during the opening of PIONIR Kesatria at the SGLC building courtyard.
This tumbler distribution reflects the faculty’s commitment to reducing waste through integrity-based education.
Dean of FT UGM, Professor Selo, emphasized the importance of students implementing waste management programs by practicing the 3Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle.
“We need the support of students and all members of the community to ensure that the Faculty of Engineering remains a model for waste management, keeping our campus green, environmentally friendly, and a comfortable place for all of us to learn,” he concluded.
In early June 2024, Universitas Gadjah Mada issued a Circular Letter signed by the Vice-Rector for Human Resources and Finance concerning policies encouraging waste reduction in food and beverage services on the UGM campus.
UGM’s policy to reduce waste in food service is a step toward promoting campus health and better waste management, aiming for a zero-waste and sustainable campus.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Donnie