People throw rubbish everywhere, including on the streets and in rivers. This can cause flooding problems during rainy season. People also take wood from the forest to build houses or for firewood; often they sell the wood to make money. Unfortunately, the majority of them do not replant trees. This deforestation is the main cause of landslides. Third, most people do not use water properly. Wasting water can cause drought, which is dangerous for humans and animals.

To solve the three problems above, I have suggested to my friends to follow what I have been doing. First, concerning floods, I have been throwing rubbish into the correct bins. In public places there are usually two types of bins provided that are labeled "unorganic" and "organic". An unorganic bin is for rubbish such as tissue, paper and plastic, while the organic one is for waste like food scraps and leaves. I have also been reminding my mum to use reusable bags whenever we go shopping. By using reusable bags, we are able to reduce the amount of plastic garbage.

Another suggestion is about landslides. Clearly, we need paper and paper is made out of wood from trees. People need a large amount of wood from trees, but trees grow very slowly. If we keep on cutting down trees and not replanting them, then the forests will vanish. So, a better option is to use 100% recycled paper instead of new paper. I was inspired by JK Rowling who did it when she was just about to launch her 5th Harry Potter book. In addition, I have only been printing out important things and when I do I use double-sided paper so as not to waste paper. Furthermore, I suggest that those who need wood for making furniture and firewood, plant new trees to replace the old trees. Planting trees may prevent landslides.

My next advice is to save water by taking a three-minute shower instead of a deep bath. We can also ask our parents to build a water tank in order to collect rain, and then we can use the water for our daily needs like washing vehicles and watering the garden. By the way, I am also planting trees around my house to save water and to make the air fresh. In fact, we need the trees in our environment to change carbon dioxide to oxygen so that we have clean air to breathe.

So, my suggestions are simple, right? Three easy actions will make a big difference to the environment.

Rafaela Anja
A fifth-grader at Strada Van Lith elementary school
Jakarta

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