Gita Pertiwi’s research shows that single-use plastic bags in a number of markets in Solo reach 4,452 pieces per day.

The impact of falling vegetable prices, farmers from Dangkling Village on the slopes of Mount Telomoyo collaborated with Gita Pertiwi to donate 600 kilograms of fresh vegetables. The program was packaged with Gita Pertiwi in sharing food without using single-use plastic bags so that the beneficiaries did use reusable containers to receive vegetable alms.

“This is one of the efforts to reduce the increasing pile of plastic waste in Surakarta City,” said Gita Pratiwi’s official statement, accessed from the Indonesian Zero Waste Alliance page, Sunday, August 18, 2024.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), the composition of plastic in Bengawan City has reached 22.73 percent or the second largest of other types of waste.

On average, plastic in Surakarta City is produced from the trading activities of people who are addicted to plastic bags as packaging and shopping bags.

Research conducted by Gita Pertiwi some time ago showed that single-use plastic bags in a number of markets in Solo reached 4,452 pieces per day. Some of these markets include: Jebres Market, Nongko Market, Purwosari Market, Singosaren Market and Gading Market. Not to mention plastic from markets or other shopping centers in Surakarta City, without regulations to limit the use of plastic it will have a bad impact on the earth.

On the other hand, food waste in Surakarta City is the largest type of waste in the composition of waste piles. It is not uncommon to find food that has been ordered or cooked leaving behind waste that is eventually thrown away.

Based on research by Gita Pertiwi together with the Indonesian Zero Waste Alliance (AZWI), the food waste produced in Surakarta was 0.73 kg/household/day in 2021 and this value has increased from 2018 when the potential for food waste was 0.49 kg/household/day.

Both types of waste that have the potential to damage the environment cruelly must have a solution to at least prevent or reduce their accumulation. As done by Gita Pertiwi through her food sharing program. As of August 4, 2024, Gita Pertiwi has distributed 1.3 tons of plastic-free vegetables from vegetable donations from farmers in Telomoyo.

This vegetable donation was carried out in response to the unreasonable drop in vegetable prices, because the sales results did not cover the farmers’ operational costs. So farmers prefer to donate their vegetables. In addition to the relatively expensive harvest picking costs, farmers also try to share with others who are in need. The meager results cannot replace the blessings obtained from this vegetable donation.

“We never feel a loss for sharing like this, because in principle our life is not only about ourselves, but also about others. I believe that good deeds will also be repaid with goodness someday,” explained Heri Santoso as one of the farmers who donated the results of his vegetable garden.

From the vegetable donation carried out by Gita Pertiwi with vegetable farmers, it proves that sharing does not have to be about the amount of money, but also unmanaged vegetables or excess food that is fit to eat can also be donated. Previously, farmers just threw away the vegetables for free, but now they consciously donate the vegetables they grow, one of which is by collaborating with Gita Pertiwi.

“We collaborate with farmers in Telomoyo for vegetable donations because vegetable prices are falling, so it would be a shame if the vegetables were not utilized. Maybe in one place it is considered excessive, but for other people it is very much needed, because it would be a shame if farmers’ vegetables were thrown away in large quantities,” said Dian as the person in charge of the excess food sharing program.

This is one of the goals of Heri Santoso in collaborating with Gita Pertiwi for vegetable donations, because previously he had difficulty finding the right beneficiaries, which in the end the vegetables just piled up in the garbage dump.

“I once brought two vegetable pickups because in the past many farmers did not harvest because the price dropped and the picking costs were expensive, so we collected the vegetables to be donated. We routinely donate in Semarang, a place for people with special needs, but there was also a time when too many vegetables came in, we ended up throwing them away. We had looked everywhere for places but there were none so we were forced to throw them away,” explained Heri Santoso.

Heri is very helped by this food sharing program because it has an SOP that is in accordance with the needs of vegetable donations that must be distributed immediately.

In addition, in giving alms, it is not always with plastic, but can also use reusable containers to ease the burden on the environment due to plastic waste and food waste that continues to be rampant. The use of reusable containers also reduces the risk of microplastic pollution in food, so that the vegetables distributed are cleaner and healthier from a mixture of plastic.

Penggunaan plastik juga kurang tepat karena mudah sobek sehingga tidak cocok untuk jumlah sayur yang banyak. Selain itu, dapat mencemari lingkungan butuh banyak kantong untuk distribusi apabila menggunakan plastik.

Sedekah sayur ini terlaksana 2 kali pendistribusian dengan total sayur yang terselamatkan hingga 1,3 ton dengan komoditi sawi, tomat, buncis, sawi putih, dan labu siam.