Widia Vicky

Overcoming climate change is a priority for all parties, including the government, industry owners, and every individual. As individuals, our role is crucial. By adopting a sustainable lifestyle guided by the principles of preventing, reusing, recycling, and composting, we can contribute to slowing climate change. A sustainable lifestyle helps us make choices consciously and with minimal impact, thereby reducing the negative impact on ourselves and the environment in the future. According to data from the National Waste Management Information System of the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, in 2023, Indonesia produced 17.9 million tons of waste, 40% of which comes from households, and the most waste is food waste. The continuing increase in population is proportional to the rise in the volume of waste produced. In Indonesia, the primary waste management system is going to landfills. Meanwhile, as much as 5.9 million tons of waste in 2023 will still need to be managed. This fact encourages individuals to manage their waste independently at home because small movements in each house will have a significant impact. Preventing: preventing waste from entering the house The first step to implementing a sustainable lifestyle is to prevent waste and overconsumption. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so preventing waste generation is more important than recycling. Even though recycling sounds fantastic, recycling requires a lot of resources, and the results can differ from before recycling.Re-thinking before buying is a way to prevent overconsumption. Before buying a product, we need to answer questions to be sure that we are buying because we need it, not just impulsive buying. Some questions we can ask are:Is there a similar item with the same function that I already have?Does anyone sell second-hand or rent out?After buying it, where will I place this item?After not being used, where will this item go? As consumers, we certainly have the power of the market because supply comes from demand. Our product choices will signal to the market what we need. For example, if we consistently ask the seller to reduce the plastic packaging or replace it with compostable packaging, they will notice the signal and eventually change their packaging. Another way to prevent waste in our homes is to avoid using single-use plastic when buying groceries. If we shop at the traditional market, we should always bring our grocery bag and notify the seller that we don't need the veggies packaged one by one in plastic. Bringing our water bottles can also reduce plastic waste because more than 1 million bottles of water are sold worldwide every minute. Reuse: extending the lifespan of products Reusing or repurposing our products is another way to live more sustainably. Instead of disposing of our products after they are used once, we can explore creative ways to extend their lifespan. Upcycling, selling on the second-hand market, donating, or swapping goods can be options to consider before disposing of our products.In an era where we can have transactions from home via e-commerce, we must be more mindful when buying goods and prioritize buying products of good quality so that their longer lifespan can minimize waste and reduce manufacturing resources. By reusing items, we minimize the demand for new products, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing and transportation. Recycling: sorting and recycling responsibly Even though we have prevented waste and reused what we have, humans consume daily, so we will always produce waste; one way we can avoid this waste from ending up in landfills, in the waters, or at sea is by sorting our waste according to its type and handing it over to the waste manager. Many waste banks and managers are currently established in Indonesia, although not all areas are covered. In regions without waste management facilities, residents can donate their segregated waste to scavengers or sell it to scrap dealers.Choosing products from brands responsible for packaging waste can also be an option. Currently, brands provide services for returning packaging waste for further processing, either for reuse or handing it over to a waste manager. Most importantly, we as consumers must continue to educate ourselves about the impact of our consumption process so that when making transactions, we also consider the effects in the future. Composting: returning what is from the soil back to the soil Cooking is one way to reduce carbon emissions in the food supply chain, but organic waste is produced daily from cooking at home. Composting is one way to handle this organic waste, and it should be mandatory for every home to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills. Composting will convert organic waste into nutritious soil, significantly reducing methane gas production in landfills. The waste condition, which is usually mixed, causes organic waste not to get enough oxygen, so methane gas is formed during decomposition. Methane gas is among the top three contributors to greenhouse gas emissions today. It can last in the atmosphere for a decade, so preventing the formation of methane gas from the waste we throw away will have a significant impact. Making and managing a composter is relatively easy daily. Even people with limited land and time can compost using the correct method. Also, there are tons of tutorials on the internet that can guide us in starting our composting journey. In conclusion, adopting a sustainable lifestyle in our homes is a powerful way to tackle climate change. We can minimize our impact and promote environmental stewardship by implementing the preventing, reusing, recycling, and composting concepts in our daily lives. As individuals, we have the power to make a difference today for a healthier and more sustainable planet in the future. So, the choice is in your hands now. Literature:Aulia, D. C., dkk. (2021). Peningkatan Pengetahuan dan Kesadaran Masyarakat tentang Pengelolaan Sampah dengan Pesan Jepapah. Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Kesehatan, 1(1), 62-70. doi.org/10.31849/pengmaskesmas.v1i1/5516 Beattie, G. & McGuire, L. (2016). Consumption and climate change: Why we say one thing but do another in the face of our greatest threat . Semiotica, 2016(213), 493-538. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2015-0109Sistem Informasi Pengelolaan sampah Nasional. (2023). https://sipsn.menlhk.go.id/sipsn/ United Nations Environment Programme. (2009). Waste and Climate Change. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/8648/Waste&ClimateChange.pdf?sequence=3 World Meteorological Organization. (2023). Greenhouse Gas concentrations hit record high. Again. https://wmo.int/news/media-centre/greenhouse-gas-concentrations-hit-record-high-again Yuli, Hendra. (2026). Perbandingan Sistem Pengelolaan Sampah di Indonesia dan Korea Selatan: Kajian 5 Aspek Pengelolaan Sampah. Aspirasi: Jurnal Masalah-Masalah Sosial, 7(1), 77-91.

The Reality of Motherhood As mothers, we face various daily choices, including decisions about caring for and providing for our children's needs. From choosing their food to the diapers they wear, all these choices can significantly impact their health and future. However, we sometimes forget that these choices have other consequences, including their environmental impact.When I discovered I would be a mother, I began researching the various needs my children would have when they were born. Diapers were one of the essentials on the list, and considering they're worn for a long time, up to two or even three years, I was confident we could financially manage. But then I discovered the unpleasant environmental impact of disposable diapers. The Disposable Diaper Dilemma In 2020, the birth rate in Indonesia reached 275.7 million per year. This high birth rate corresponds to the high demand for baby products, including diapers. The most commonly used types of diapers among mothers today are disposable diapers and cloth diapers. However, according to a study conducted in Bandung in 2022, more mothers choose disposable diapers over cloth diapers.There are many reasons why parents choose disposable diapers, such as convenience, time-saving, absorbency, accessibility, and alignment with modern, fast-paced lifestyles. However, behind all these conveniences lies a potentially harmful impact of using disposable diapers. From a health perspective, using disposable diapers can lead to rashes and skin irritation for babies. Extended use of diapers can increase skin moisture and become a breeding ground for bacteria. In some cases, irritation can be managed with rash creams, but in certain instances, it can lead to conditions like Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) if pathogenic bacteria grow. Another issue is that when disposing of disposable diapers, there's a risk of spreading pathogens from the solid waste. Disposable diapers typically consist of several layers, including an inner protective layer, an absorbent core layer, and a plastic outer layer. These layers are made from polymers (such as Propylene and Polyethylene) and absorbent materials like wood pulp and super-absorbent polymers (SAP). Simply put, more than 50% of the materials in disposable diapers are plastic. Currently, in Indonesia, disposable diapers are disposed of with household waste, which means they mostly end up in landfills or enter water systems like rivers and oceans. A 2018 World Bank report even states that 21% of urban waterway waste in Indonesia consists of disposable diapers. It is a severe problem because, besides taking hundreds of years to decompose, plastic waste in waterways can become microplastics and contaminate water. Cloth Diaper As working parents-to-be, my partner and I initially felt that disposable diapers were the right choice. Like millions of other parents, we leaned towards options that were less troublesome and would save us time. But it didn't feel right to choose an option that might be convenient for me now but could have adverse effects in the future. After much consideration, we agreed to use cloth diapers instead of disposable ones. Cloth diapers are a more sustainable alternative because they can be washed and reused, and they can last 5-7 years with proper care. The materials used in cloth diapers, such as cotton, bamboo, and hemp, are renewable resources. Meanwhile, the outer layer is typically made of polyester net coated with polyurethane (PUL) to provide leak-proof properties and quick drying when hung out to dry. Understanding Cloth Diapering Many parents consider using cloth diapers troublesome. Apart from needing time to wash and care for cloth diapers, parents also often worry about their child feeling uncomfortable using them and the cost, which can be quite high when initially purchasing them. Since first learning about cloth diapers in 2021 and using them for my child for almost two years, I concluded that parents' doubts about cloth diapers are understandable. Being the Director of the Mamaberclodi Community also allowed me to witness various other confusions experienced by parents. This worry often acts as a barrier for parents to use cloth diapers, so instead of knowing the adverse effects of disposable diapers, they continue to use them because they think using cloth diapers is difficult. Therefore, since 2021, we at the Mamaberclodi Community have provided access to information for prospective parents and parents who want to use cloth diapers. We provide free access for parents to learn about choosing the correct cloth diaper according to their needs and how to do daily care that doesn't interfere with parents' other activities. By providing a community of cloth diaper users, we encourage members, mostly mothers, to support each other. At the heart of the cloth diapering movement lies empowerment. By choosing cloth diapers, mothers actively shape a more sustainable future for their children. Moreover, they become part of a supportive community that shares knowledge, resources, and experiences. As mothers, we have the power to effect change, starting with the choices we make in our daily lives. The journey of parenthood is always filled with decisions, each carrying its weight of significance. Regarding diapering, the choice between disposable and cloth diapers holds far-reaching implications for our children and the planet they will inherit. By understanding our options and embracing cloth diapers as a sustainable alternative, we embark on a path of conscious parenting that prioritizes the well-being of our children and the environment. Literature:Agestika, L., Sintawardani, N., Hamidah, U., Nyambe, S., & Yamauchi, T. (2022). Pattern of child faeces management and disposable diaper usage among under-fives in an Urban Slum of Bandung, Indonesia. Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 12 (1), 32–40. https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2021.099 Badan Pusat Statistik. (2020). Proyeksi Penduduk Indonesia 2020–2050 Hasil Sensus Penduduk 2020. Melati, DA. & Na’im FN. (2023). Online community impact to reduce diaper waste in Indonesia (study case at mamaberclodi community). Interaction, Community Engagement, and Social Environment, 1(1), 52-66. https://doi.org/10.61511/icese.v1i1.2023.248 Moelyaningrum, A. D. (2018). Persepsi Ibu Terhadap Sampah Popok Bayi Sekali Pakai dan Manajemen Pengelolaannya. In Prosiding Seminar Nasional Kependudukan," Peran Keilmuan Kesehatan Masyarakat Dalam Pembangunan Kependudukan Pasca MDGs. , 1–10. Płotka-Wasylka, J., Makoś-Chełstowska, P., Kurowska-Susdorf, A., Treviño, M. J. S., Guzmán,S. Z., Mostafa, H., & Cordella, M. (2022). End-of-life management of single-use baby diapers: Analysis of technical, health and environment aspects. Science of the Total Environment ,836 (March). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155339 World Bank Group. (2028). Kajian Cepat - Laporan Sintesis Hotspot Sampah Laut di Indonesia.

Create a Post

Create a Learning course

No result

No result

Start searching

Widia Vicky

Tackle The Waste Problem From Home

Cloth Diapering: A Journey to Conscious Parenting