My annual Idul Fitri or Eid tradition has been pretty much the same since I was little. It usually consists of buying new clothes, going back to my hometown, greeting and visiting relatives, feasting on traditional food and visiting tourist attractions. As I grew older, however, I began noticing that Idul Fitri can be bad for the environment.

Every year in my hometown of Semarang in Central Java, Simpang Lima square turns into mountains of used newspapers right after the Eid prayer, as folks do not pick up and properly dispose the newspapers used to avoid direct contact between the soil and their prayer rugs. During the Eid open house at my grandparents’ home, there will be plenty of unfinished opor ayam (chicken in coconut broth) and rendang plates and half-drunk teh botol left by the many guests.

The tourist attractions that my family visits on the second or third day of Eid are almost always left with a great deal of litter and waste. We tend to over-consume during the Idul Fitri holiday, increasing our waistlines while also damaging the environment.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.