Waste in Religious Activities
Young people voiced their responses to the question:
How can we reduce waste in religious activities?
Bali has a series of religious ceremonies as part of the religiosity of the Balinese culture. Waste from religious ceremonies in Bali is generally dominated by organic waste that is easily decomposed such as leaves, flowers, fruits. However, this waste is still mixed with plastic waste and other materials that are not easily decomposed. Waste that is not managed properly will have a negative impact on the environment.
Winning entries led to this Policy Brief:
Religious Activities: Seeking Grace, Leaving Waste
This research is part of the Public Participation Wikithon program initiated by the BASAbali Wiki Foundation to raise awareness among young people about waste management in religious activities in Bali. Every religious celebration at temples or places of worship often generates a significant amount of waste, particularly during major Hindu holidays. Data indicates that waste from religious ceremonies can reach tens of tons in large temples such as Besakih and Ulun Danu Batur. The primary issue lies in the lack of an effective waste management system, resulting in improper disposal. While most ceremonial waste is organic, it is often mixed with plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, leading to environmental pollution and disrupting the solemnity of worship. Therefore, the proposed policy recommendations include waste segregation at places of worship, regulations on ceremonial waste management, optimization of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) waste processing facilities, collaboration among various stakeholders for education, and recognition for traditional villages with the best waste management practices. As part of its advocacy efforts, the Public Participation Wikithon program invites Balinese youth to express their ideas through opinion pieces and creative videos on solutions for managing religious waste. The program began with the Bali Youth Conference, involving hundreds of participants from various schools and communities. The Wikithon Bali Lestari competition successfully collected hundreds of opinion submissions and videos, which were evaluated by professional judges. The winners were given the opportunity to engage in policy dialogue with key stakeholders to formulate concrete policy recommendations. Testimonials from participants indicate that this program has provided young people with new insights into the importance of maintaining environmental cleanliness during religious activities, while also fostering innovation and collective awareness in managing waste responsibly.
Download Policy BriefYoung women and men came together with government officials to discuss the Policy Brief in a series of Policy Dialogue:
Policy Dialog
Waste management in temples faces several challenges, including the mixing of organic and plastic waste, waste generated by vendors, and ceremonial residues that are difficult to process. Proposed solutions include providing waste segregation facilities, educating the community and vendors, and enforcing strict regulations through *prarem* and *awig-awig* of traditional villages. The optimization of 3R waste processing facilities and innovations such as modern *tebe* and waste banks are necessary to support recycling and organic waste processing. Additionally, increasing public awareness through continuous socialization and strict law enforcement is crucial to driving behavioral change. From a financial perspective, budget allocation from the traditional village RAPBD and government funding is needed to support infrastructure and operational waste management. Key takeaways from the FGD emphasize the need for waste policy socialization, clear budget planning, strict enforcement of penalties for violators, and strengthening the role of traditional villages in temple waste management.
As a result of the Policy Dialogue, young people and government agreed to implement the following measures. The measures includes evaluation and compliance components:
Discussions lead to government policies
Our goal is for discussions to lead to government policies and practices that reflect the concerns of young people.
