UNS — Five students from the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta created an innovation of organic and inorganic waste processing media based on a bicycle system. These students are Iksan Riva Nanda, Dji Hanafit, Arifin Subkhan, Abdul Azis from Mechanical Engineering Education Program (PTM), and Alvin Kurniawan from Informatics and Computer Engineering Education Program (PTIK). Under the supervision of Dr. Eng. Indah Widiastuti, S.T., M. Eng., a faculty member of PTM, the team implemented their innovation through the Student Creativity – Community Service Program (PKM PM).
The waste processing media was developed based on their concern over the waste issues around them. They found that the surrounding community has low awareness on environmental issues, for example, littering or un-managed waste disposal. Therefore, the team has the initiative to create an education program for waste management for students to teach them the values of taking care of the environment. The education program using the waste management media based on the bicycle system aims to attract children’s interest in managing waste.
“The use of the bicycle as waste management also teaches the habit of exercise to maintain health, especially in this pandemic,” Dji Hanafit explained to the uns.ac.id team.
This program involved a collaboration with Sekolah Alam Bengawan Solo (SABS), a non-formal educational institution in Juwiring, Klaten. SABS is selected as a partner in this program because the school has implemented environmental-based learning for its students. According to Dji and his team, the school program is in line with the education program designed by his team. This collaboration also assists the school in managing their organic and inorganic wastes from the surrounding environment because the program also involved the community around SABS to sort the organic and inorganic waste. The program started with the education to sort wastes and determine various types of waste in the community. SABS facilitators and educators were also involved during the waste sorting activities.
After sorting the waste, the following activity was processing the waste using a bicycle, putting the trash into chopper operated using bicycle frame and pedals. After the wastes are well chopped, students were taught to perform further processes: using organic waste for maggot’s cultivation and inorganic wastes for household appliances production. All of the education processes were held online considering the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia.
The program was implemented under coordination with SABS through the Zoom Cloud Meeting at the beginning of August. The waste processing media was also handed to the partners as an education media. The team hoped that this media could be implemented all over Indonesia.
“Hopefully, the education program could be implemented at other places besides SABS; it could be implemented all over Indonesia,” Dji hoped. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti