Students take part in tree campaign

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 04/14/2008 11:52 AM | City

Dozens of children participated in a green campaign Saturday to raise awareness of environmental conservation by distributing free potted plants to motorists on Jl. Merpati Raya in Ciputat, Tangerang.

"A potted plant for you, sir. It's only for today and it's free. Please plant it in your garden. Thank you, sir," said Kahlil, a kindergartener at Tanah Tingal, while giving a plant to a motorist with the help of his teacher.

After giving away the plant, the 5-year-old boy hurriedly took another one and gave it to another motorist.

"It's so fun. I like giving the plants to them for their homes. I've handed out a lot of them," he said.

Kahlil also handed out plants to pedestrians on the street.

Kahlil, his fellow students and parents handed out 700 acacia, avocado and jackfruit plants during the event.

Their campaigning added to traffic congestion as motorists stopped to get their free plants.

It took less than an hour for the students and their parents and teachers to distribute all the trees.

The campaign was part of a two-day program held by Tanah Tingal kindergarten and elementary school. The program started Friday and ended Saturday.

On the first day of activities, students took part in outdoor activities, like fishing, tug-of-war and team building games on Tanah Tingal's 11 hectares of land.

Principal Ikin Ahmad Sodikin said the green campaign aimed to raise environmental awareness and encourage people to plant trees in hope of reducing global warming.

"Through free tree distribution, we want to encourage the students, their parents and people to love trees and to start planting them to save the environment," Ikin told The Jakarta Post.

"Planting trees also teaches children to take care of something and to work hard to achieve," he said.

He added the school received the trees from the Environment Ministry.

Being green is not new for Tanah Tingal's students because the school offers more outdoor activities than most others. It also introduces children to planting trees.

Firza, a kindergartener, said he was already used to growing plants in the school's garden.

"I've learned to plant cassava and cucumbers with my classmates and I have to take care of the plants every day. I can also feed goats and play in the rice fields. It's so fun and cool," said the 5-year-old boy.

Firza's mother, Ivon, fully supports the green program.

"I have no problem with letting my son play outdoors for hours after school because it makes him love the environment. It's much better for him to play there than to be at shopping malls," she said. (trw)

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