O

ct. 20, Online

In a bid to increase awareness of green issues, around 5,000 locals and foreigners from more than 100 community groups, schools and private firms took part in the annual Clean Up Jakarta Day on Sunday morning, picking up trash at several sites across the city.

At Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Senayan sports complex, Central Jakarta, around 800 people of all ages got involved in the event, which was held by Indonesia Expat magazine.

Your comments:

It would seem from observation, that many Indonesians simply do not realize that the city is dirty. Generations of people seem to think that the state of filth that exists in places is in fact '€œnormal'€. They also do not think twice about throwing personal rubbish from cars. The point of this exercise is to show how clean the city could be and how much nicer.

I guess if your attitude is one that thinks that if volunteers clean the streets then you should get your tax back, then perhaps you don'€™t mind if taxes go up to pay for the extra workers needed to clean the city and what would that achieve? It might cement in people'€™s minds the idea that someone else is paid to come along and clean up after them.

These exercises need to be coupled with public education campaigns (TV and radio), awards and ceremonies (public recognition) for the people involved in the cleaning, stiff and enforced fines and maybe some public humiliation/shaming for those who litter.

John Elliott