UNS — 22 April is commemorated as Earth Day initiated by an environmental researcher in the United States, Gaylord Nelson, in 1970. Earth Day is started as the result of the increasing awareness of earth conditions. Each year, the day is celebrated under different themes, and earthday.org mentioned that in 2021 Earth Day theme is “Restore Our Earth”. Through this theme, the people are invited to reflect on what they can to restore the increasingly damaged earth.
Participating in this celebration, the uns.ac.id team interviewed an environmental expert in Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Dr. Prabang Setyono, M.Si., who mentioned that earth balance has decreased. This condition is marked by the high number of disasters that struck the world, and especially Indonesia. According to the National Board for Disaster Mitigation (BNPB) data, 1,125 disasters affect Indonesia until 15 April 2021. A significantly high number which brought material, natural, and psychological impacts for the affected people.
Dr. Prabang mentioned that further classification is needed for these disasters because not all of these disasters occurred naturally. Many are an environmental disaster, such as floods, which dominates the types of disaster in 2021. A flood cannot be categorized as a natural disaster because a certain condition in an area causes it. Mainly, a flood occurred because of the decreasing water absorption area. Thus, rainwater cannot be absorbed as a source of groundwater. If this condition continues, it poses a greater risk.
This year Earth Day’s theme opens the start to Restore the Earth, which according to the Environmental Science Program Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science (FMIPA) UNS faculty members, can be achieved by restoring earth carrying capacity. Carrying capacity is the vital component of earth, such as water, green areas (forests), and mangrove. For example, in the water carrying capacity part, all people need water. Everyday water supply in the earth is used. However, the water absorption area is decreasing, and thus, rainwater that should be absorbed into the ground is wasted as surface water.
“If water is always extracted without a cycle of water entering the ground, there will be an interrupted cycle. Because of an interrupted cycle, the earth carrying capacity slowly decreased below its ability to restore it naturally. Therefore, we need to build more water absorption,” Dr. Prabang said.
Starting from Massive Small Steps
Restoring earth carrying capacity seems like a big and laborious duty, but everybody can contribute by performing small steps. These steps include creating a water absorption method by planting trees at home and using public transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “If a small thing by a person followed by ten of others, hundreds of others, until thousands, it will create a collective awareness,” he concluded.
The government needs to support these small steps through environmentally friendly regulation and recovery tax for people who pollute or cause environmental damages. Rules need to have ecological justice, or green legislation, environmentally friendly laws. High taxes should be charged to potentially damaging environmental activities. “Happy Earth Day. Let’s do a small thing to save the environment,” Dr. Prabang emphasized. Humas UNS
Reporter: Ida Fitriyah
Editor: Dwi Hastuti