E

verybody is talking about going green or adopting environmentally friendly lifestyles.

What is this phenomenon and how do we implement it in our daily lives?

Environmental activists, Melly and Shanti, from Green Lifestyle Community, say going green is not something you can boast about.

They say it is how you go about  your daily life.

In the effort to increase people’s awareness about green living, it and people from various communities in Jakarta, are calling Jakartans to gather their trash and secondhand material and take it directly to Taman Menteng, Central Jakarta, from Feb. 12 to Feb. 13.

Those who want to give away their trash or secondhand material can contact kumkumyuk@gmail.com or 0817 013 2722.

“This is part of our fundraising for our April event titled ‘KumKum’ [acronym of kumpul-kumpul or gatherings] for inter communities on April 17 to 18 at Museum Bank Mandiri,” Shanty said Friday.

The trash would be sold to trash collectors who would later distribute it to companies that could recycle the trash.

Opening a tent at Menteng Park, Central Jakarta, the group has gathered plastic bags of dry trash starting from boxes, papers, battery, plastics and all other trashes.

“We intend to raise funds from trash because we do not want to involve sponsors from big companies that usually only use advocate going green for business purposes,” Melly said.

She added it wanted the event to be completely filled with people who are committed to implement a green lifestyle.

“The event must be free of plastic and Styrofoam,” said Melly.

Those who want to participate in the event must not use these materials and visitors are suggested to take their own bottle because bottled drinking water will not be sold there.

“We will provide visitors with water in gallon containers,” she said.

Melly said the event would include a bazar, performances and various stands from some community groups in Jakarta including the blogger community, literature, astronomy, environment as well as street children who would entertain people, notifying them about the event.

They expected the event could educate people on how to implement an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

“That is also the reason why we will hold the event at Bank Mandiri Museum, because public transportation access to that place is easy both by busway or train,” Shanty said.

She added it would provide parking lots for bicycles in front of the event’s venue, while those with cars or motorbikes could find their own parking behind the building.

“Usually bicyclists are discriminated against because most building managers do not provide parking for them.

“We want to give them special treatment this time,” Shanty said.

Different to Shanty and Melly, Heni from Gerombolan Peduli Sampah (Care for Trash Group) has another way of implementing a green way of living.

She has converted empty shampoo bottles and coffee sachets to make items such as bracelets, book dividers and notes that she usually sold at environmental awareness events.

“Being environmentally friendly means recycling,” she said.