COMA (Composting Around)

COMA (Composting Around) is a composting activity carried out by young people who are involved in the community. COMA's action is to socialize through regular practice to young children in schools, especially high schools, about composting methods. It is hoped that with the given practice, organic waste management in the form of composting will occur in the school environment which will then spread to the households of each student. Thus, the scale of the implementation of the compost action will spread widely to the community environment which is the largest source of food waste contributor.

Description

COMA (Composting Around) is a composting activity carried out by young people from the school environment who then moves into the community with a background of organic waste which damages the environment if not properly processed. The COMA action begins with socialization in the form of education in the form of knowledge and practices about composting on a regular basis to young people in schools such as high schools. After being given education, students will carry out composting practices directly in the school environment. This composting ability will then be applied in their respective homes which will indirectly be applied on a community scale, where the community is the largest source of organic waste. In the Sundarigama Lontar it is stated that “Wariga, saniscara kliwon, ngaran tumpek panuduh, puja kreti ring Sang Hyang Sangkara, apan sira amredyaken sarwa tumuwuh, kayu-kayu kunang” which means that on Wariga wuku, Saturday Kliwon is called Tumpek Panguduh, a holy day of worship of Sang Hyang Sangkara, because he is the god who rules the fertility of all plants and trees. This is related to the issues raised in the COMA project, namely composting with products in the form of compost, compost can be used as a natural fertilizer for plants which helps in increasing soil fertility and environmental maintenance.

Why does the innovation or project matter?

As we know so far that organic waste is one of the wastes that contribute to polluting the environment. According to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in 2019, the composition of waste in Indonesia is dominated by organic waste in the form of food scraps and leaves by 57% and keep increasing. Based on the data published by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 2021, one type of organic waste, such as Food Waste, is produced around 1.4 billion tons annually globally, and America itself contributes around 103 million tons. Thus, this is a problem that must be addressed immediately considering the dangers that arise are very impactful.

How do you or your team know that the innovation or project is working (or making a positive contribution)?

The COMA project can be implemented through collaboration and synergy with various parties, students, schools, and the community. The school will hold this program as a weekly agenda for all students supported by rules that require all students to take part in this program, such as entering this program into student attendance data. Students who are the main actors driving the program will be given education regarding the importance of composting which is a very simple way of dealing with environmental problems. This program will of course be supported by parents as members of the community because it can bring a positive impact on the environment easily and inexpensively.

What has contributed to the innovation or project working?

With the COMA project, a contribution appears in tackling global warming easily and inexpensively, considering that organic waste will produce methane which destroys the ozone if it is not treated properly. In addition, the community can reduce the cost of transporting the waste, or even if it is no longer needed, the community environment becomes clean with results that can be used to fertilize plants. In the school environment, this program will help create school cleanliness which automatically eases cleaning service and makes the learning atmosphere more comfortable.

What else would help the innovation or project be more successful?

The COMA project is simple but has great benefits, composting is very easy to do and provides benefits for the perpetrators, and no costs are required for its implementation. This project is very relevant to implement at this time considering that the school environment must be cleaned regularly, as well as the community environment, plus the increasing presence of food waste. This project will be supported by related parties such as schools and local government because it is by their environmental cleaning program.

Is the innovation or project self-sustaining? If not, what needs to be done for that to happen?

The COMA project is ongoing by being held every week by the school, which will gradually become a habit that takes root in schools and communities. This project will have stronger sustainability potential if it is supported by the local government.

What Balinese value does this initiative invoke?

The value of Balinese local wisdom applied in the COMA project is the application of Tri Hita Karana, especially Parahyangan and Pawongan. In the Parahyangan concept, humans, namely students, take care of the surrounding environment, in the form of cleaning up trash and using compost as a natural fertilizer for plants. In addition, this project also applies to the Pawongan concept, students work together or in Balinese local wisdom is called “Ngayah” in collecting garbage in the surrounding environment.

People/groups to contact

COMA's Team