On June 3rd, at the Taman Gajah Wong Educational Park, Umbulharjo Yogyakarta, 2385 ecobricks made of transformed plastic waste will be unveiled as modular seating, furniture and building blocks. For the last two months, partners Russell and Ani have worked with the Yogya Environment Agency (YEA), and 405 Bank Sampah community groups to introduce Ecobricks to the city of Jogja.
The technique of packing one’s plastic waste into a bottle has spread to over a thousand neighborhood units in the city. An additional 5000 more ecobricks are estimated to have been made unofficially by Jogjan’s in their homes. At the official unveiling on June 3rd, Russell, Ani and 18 Jogja ecobrick trainers will demonstrate chairs, stools, tables and a 3 meter Tugu tower made from ecobrick lego modules. The Ecobrick installation will also be on display started from June 4th at the Malioboro Art Fair / Festival Apeman.
According to Russell Maier, a principal leader in the global ecobrick movement, “Jogja is the first city in the world to make ecobricking an official municipal strategy.” He adds “Ecobricks isn’t waste management, its a way to get to the root of the cities plastic challenge before waste even happens”.
For the last three years, Ibu Bakhriah Sofiatun has bought the silver wrapper plastic from her neighbours. She knew if she didn’t, it would be dumped in the Aire Putih river. “I have over 40kgs of plastic in sacks in my house. I didn’t know what to do with it. Now I do”. Sofi is not only ecobricking all this plastic, but also teaching her neighbours what to do with theirs.
Pada tanggal 3 Juni 2016, di Taman Gajah Wong Educational Park, Umbulharjo Yogyakarta, 2385 ecobricks yang dibuat dari sampah plastik yang sudah berubah bentuk akan dipresentasikan sebagai tempat duduk, mabelair, dan balok bangunan yang bisa dibongkar pasang. Dalam dua bulan terakhir, pasangan Russell Maier and Ani Himawati telah bekerja bersama Badan Lingkungan Hidup (BLH) Kota Yogyakarta, dan 405 bank sampah anggota Jejaring Pengelola Sampah Mandiri (JPSM) Kota Jogja, memperkenalkan Ecobricks ke warga Jogja.
Teknik mengepak sampah plastik di dalam botol plastik sudah menyebar di lebih seribu RT. Tambahan 5000an ecobricks diperkirakan sudah dibuat oleh warga dan disimpan sendiri di masing-masing rumah tangga – di luar workshop resmi program BLH. Di ‘pertunjukan’ resmi pada tanggal 3 Juni nanti, Russell dan Ani dan 18 trainer Ecobricks akan mendemonstrasikan bangku, dingklik, meja, dan TUGU setinggi 3m dari module lego ecobricks. Instalasi Ecobricks juga akan dipamerkan di Festival Apeman, di Jalan Malioboro, dari tanggal 4 Juni 2016.
Menurut Russell Maier, salah satu pemimpin utama gerakan ecobrick dunia, “Jogja adalah kota pertama di dunia yang secara formal mengadopsi ecobricking sebagai strategi pemerintah untuk mengatasi persoalan plastik di kota.”
