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Environmentalists criticize use of sky lanterns at Dieng Culture Festival
Activists have urged officials to cancel the traditional sky lantern show at the Dieng Culture Festival to be held in Central Java in August.
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Lanterns are released into the sky. (JP/Tarko Sudiarno)
W
ith a month to go before the Dieng Culture Festival in Central Java's Wonosobo, activists have urged officials to cancel the sky lantern show.
The practice of releasing hundreds of lanterns into the sky is considered the iconic part of the annual festival.
Instagram user Gita Rachmawati Sekar posted a series of photos taken after last year’s event, showing an enormous amount of trash scattered across miles of terrain.
The caption reads: "[They] pose a forest fire threat and can be eaten by wild animals."
The post was picked up by popular environment group Zero Waste Nusantara, which reposted its concerns in two further posts.
“We do not know where the sky lanterns will fall […]. Is it wise to release them?” the caption reads.
According to Zero Waste Nusantara, the paper lanterns are often laminated with plastic. After lanterns fall to the ground, they become trash and contribute to micro-plastic waste.
Sky lanterns can also harm animals in the air, on land and at sea. While the fire can hurt animals that come in contact with the lanterns, animals can also get entangled in the frames. Wires and residue paper might be consumed, causing serious injury or death to wildlife.
The community urges the festival organizers to cancel the lantern show and calls on Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo to take action.
Previously, Ganjar banned the practice of flying hot air balloons, an Idul Fitri tradition in several Central Java towns, over concerns about the environment and air traffic.
Jeanny Primasari, a spokesperson of Zero Waste Nusantara, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that alternatives to sky lanterns were available.
“Although not as visually spectacular as sky lanterns, people could switch to soap bubbles, mass candle lighting or planting trees,” she said.
Read also: Agency calls for review of lantern festivals at Borobudur temple
She also mentioned stationary lanterns that would stay on the ground.
Along with flying lanterns, Jeanny said, balloons and plastic confetti were often involved in celebrations and also harmed the environment.
“To substitute confetti, organizers can opt to make biodegradable [confetti] from dry leaves. We can also fly paper planes for a less environment-harming celebration,” she said.
On Instagram, Dieng Culture Festival organizers posted a reply to Zero Waste Nusantara, saying they had prepared a dedicated trash collection team to make sure nature would not be harmed by the festival.
“We have prepared a team of 500 people to pick up the lantern trash as well as trash left by tourists unrelated to the event. Regarding this issue, the organizer has decided to go on with the lantern show. Thank you.”
They also said they were cooperating with the Dieng Bersih (Clean Dieng) movement and festivalgoers to handle the trash.
Several countries have banned the release of sky lanterns, including China, where the tradition comes from.
The city of Sanya in China banned sky lanterns in 2009 because of the threat they pose for aircraft.
It is also illegal to launch lanterns in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Spain and Vietnam. In Brazil, releasing lanterns into the sky is an environmental crime punishable by up to three years in prison since 1998. Austria takes a more hardline approach, making it illegal to produce, sell, import or distribute sky lanterns.
Dieng Culture Festival organizers could not be reached for a comment. (wng)
