Jakarta, Ekuatorial – Vice President Jusuf Kalla encourages more actions and monitoring to protect the environment rather than mere ceremonials, in Jakarta, on Thursday (18/6).
“[The environment] is not just about drawing competition or riding bicycle but it’s about knowledge then implementation and monitoring,” he said on his opening speech at the 2015 Indonesian Environmental and Forestry Week, which will be held from June 18 – 21, in Jakarta,.
On his speech, Kalla highlighted on past destructive behavior in Indonesia, starting from logging, coal exploitation, even underlined on production and consumption pattern of the country.
“Once upon a time, entrepreneurs were considered as great [businessmen] if they were in the logging [business]. Now, we got what we deserved, floods, drought, water scarcity, and climate change. All due to bad forest management,” he said. “Once upon a time, great business people must have coal mining. But, it is damaging the environment because it’s not properly managed. “
Indonesia should stop exploit what’s under the soil, he said, and start to manage outside earth, such as wind, solar, and geothermal.
“So, that’s why we need technology [development] for us to be able to manage those resources,” he said.
In addition, he also encouraged for efficient consumption pattern. “Maybe we should adopt Padang restaurant’s style where you basically just pay what you eat and return what you don’t eat. Compare that to eating in ordinary restaurants where they usually just throw food away,” he joked.
So, environment was not just talking about forest, he said, but also about production, consumption, energy efficiency, and technology.
Meanwhile, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya said that public campaign has becoming more crucial in protecting the environment.
“Because, when people start to get the knowledge, then they will be moved to do something,” she said. “That is why we need all involvement from government, people, and companies.”
The 2015 Indonesian Environmental and Forestry Week, which is a part of the World Environment Day celebration, take on ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume With Care’ as this year’s theme.
The event consists of discussions, eco driving workshops and rally, children engineer competition, green music festival, and booths. At least 262 participants participating for this year’s event that aims to reach 40,000 visitors. In, addition, the event targeted to be a “zero waste event” where no waste will be produced from the event.
On June 5, President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo had awarded 11 environmental heroes with Kalpataru award and 95 green schools in Bogor, West Java. Fidelis E. Satriastanti
