The Center for Sustainability and Waste Management (CSWM) at Universitas Indonesia conducted an innovative waste sorting education program on July 20-21, 2023, for junior high school students at SMP Regina Pacis Bogor and SMP Mardi Yuana Depok, in collaboration with the Komisi Ekologi Keuskupan Bogor.

This session, part of the Masa Pengenalan Lingkungan Sekolah (MPLS), aimed to encourage a culture of environmental-driven-lifestyle in school environments that start with waste sorting. The program combined informative teaching with engaging gamification strategies to create an interactive learning environment, focusing on effective waste sorting techniques and the importance of environmental sustainability.

Inspired by the ‘Laudato Si’ encyclical, which emphasizes that waste sorting is not just a physical action but also a spiritual one, the program aimed to teach the youth that maintaining environmental cleanliness is part of our responsibility as guardians of creation. This initiative aligns with the CSWM UI’s commitment to environmental education and fostering responsible ecological leadership among young people.

This program serves as a follow-up session for teachers and educators was also part of this program, aiming to enhance their environmental knowledge. The results will be reviewed through focus group discussions, allowing all participants to contribute to the program’s sustainability.