Religious Activity: Seeking Blessing, Leaving a Trail of Waste

Policy Brief for Sampah sisa Upacara Agama Issue.

This Policy Brief emerged from Sampah Upacara wikithon.

Summary

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.

Read the whole Policy Brief here.

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