It’s in the Bag (Yours)

WEEKENDER   |  Mon, 07/27/2009 3:32 PM  |  Greenlifestyle

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I overheard my nieces arguing about which cartoon hero they love the most. Salma, 10, claimed that Avatar, with his combination of fighting styles, is invincible, while Shoffa, 8, argued that Naruto, with his great chakra, could easily defeat Avatar. Meanwhile Nayla, 4, the most feminine of the three, was adamant that “Princess Jasmine just needs to rub the lamp so Genie will put them all into the lamp”.

As I asked myself which cartoon hero I adore the most, I saw on TV the futuristic cat Doraemon. As usual, to save Nobita (his master) from trouble, he took gadgets out of the pocket attached to his stomach. “Eureka!!!” I thought. At that moment, I decided that Doraemon, who always carries everything he needs in his pocket, is the greatest indeed.

Inspired by Doraemon’s pocket, I believe I also can make an effort to save humanity. I just need to have in my bag all the necessary items to help me to reduce waste, energy and air pollution.

So what kind of items would this bag of mine contain?

Drink bottle

Drinking enough water every day is very important for our health. Instead of buying a bottle of water every time I want a drink, I usually bring my own drink bottle with me. Not only does this save money, but it also reduces plastic waste. Plastic waste takes 500 to 1,000 years to decompose naturally.

Small plastic bag

We all know that trash cans are hard to find in Jakarta (and other cities in Indonesia). So people just litter the street with their food wrappers, peanut shells, orange peel and plastic cups. Instead, I choose to put my waste into a small reusable bag in my rucksack, and then bin it once I get home.

Foldable shopping bag

Bringing your own shopping bag can reduce the wasteful use of single-use plastic bags. But in fact we often forget to take it with us, sometimes because we only think of what we need after leaving home. This is why I always keep a foldable shopping bag in my bag — no more reason to get single-use plastic bags every time I shop.

Practical foldable shopping bag with various designs, colors and sizes can be found at

http://greeneration.org/products/bagoes/. You can also find one with the famous panda logo at www.wwf.or.id/id/pandashop.

Handkerchief/Bandana

When I was in preschool, my mom always pinned a hanky on my uniform. Nowadays, the hanky has almost become history as it is gradually replaced by packs of tissues. I only realize now that my mom had taught me a cheap and green way to wipe my dirty hands or sweaty face. By taking a hanky/bandana wherever I go, I can reduce my tissue paper consumption, which in the long run can contribute to conserving forests.

Transjakarta bus map

Private cars and motorbikes are considered the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Taking public transport is a cheap way to reduce pollution, traffic congestion and greenhouse emissions. Jakarta residents can use Transjakarta buses (aka Busway). The designated bus lanes means Busway passengers get to their destinations faster, especially during peak hour. An easily downloadable version of the Busway map can be found at:

http://campaign.pelangi.or.id/downloads/material_campaign/peta&infosheet_busway(screen).pdf

Green Map

Now here is a map that is very different from the road map we usually use. It was developed by a local community to chart interesting but less well-known places, including green sites and social and cultural places. The recently launched Green Map Jakarta also promotes sustainable transportation, such as bike-friendly routes and Transjakarta and train routes. Jakartans are encouraged to use it — particularly during the weekend — to head out to various interesting places (besides malls) by taking environmentally friendly transport.

Green Map Jakarta can be found at Aksara Bookshop or www.freetodecide.org, an online green store. Green maps of numerous cities in Indonesia are available at http://www.greenmap.or.id/peta-hijau-indonesia/database-peta.html, or you can contact Elanto Wijoyono (Joyo) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Maybe it is too difficult for some of us to keep remembering everything we need to do to save electricity, conserve water, compost our organic waste and even recycle things. But carrying these simple tools in our bag wherever we go is one easy way to do our bit to save the planet. At any rate, it makes me feel like a hero in a way. At least, I will try to make my sweet nieces think that I am one, so they will follow my example. Hopefully.

+ Armely Meiviana