Turning Waste into Solutions: Greentopia and ULM Students’ Efforts to Create a Clean Environment
Banjarmasin, May 6, 2025 – A group of students from the Communication Science Study Program, FISIP, Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) held a public campaign entitled “Greentopia: Harmony of Nature and Humans”, as a real manifestation of concern for environmental issues in the city of Banjarmasin.
This campaign is not just an invitation, but is designed based on the concept of education, creation, and action, with a collaborative and solution-oriented approach. Since its launch in late 2024, Greentopia has collaborated with the South Kalimantan Green Generation organization as a partner in voicing the importance of preserving nature.
Greentopia’s Chief Executive, Erwan Prayoga, explained that this campaign was born in response to the 2023 BRIN Plastic Waste Census data, which placed South Kalimantan in the top 10 contributors of the largest plastic waste in Indonesia.
“We want to build awareness that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility and can start from small things,” said Erwan, Tuesday (6/5/2025).
One of the activities in this campaign is Greentopia Creation, in the form of training in making ecoprint tote bags. This environmentally friendly product is expected to be an alternative to using plastic bags and has been distributed to residents to be used in daily activities.
The activity continued at the Greentopia Action stage, where students went directly to Benua Anyar Street, North Banjarmasin District, to clean up the illegal waste disposal site (TPS). Dozens of students collected trash, collected it in large sacks, and coordinated with the Banjarmasin City Environmental Service (DLH) for the transportation process.
“We carried out this action as a real form of concern, as well as inviting residents to stop littering,” explained Erwan.
The Greentopia campaign emphasizes that efforts to protect the environment cannot be done alone. Collaboration between communities, government, and society is the key to success.
“No matter how good the innovation is, if it is not accompanied by collective awareness, the results will not be optimal. We want to invite all parties to join hands to create a better environment,” added Erwan, while quoting the spirit that was also echoed by the Pandawara community.
Through this campaign, ULM students hope to instill the values of sustainability as well as inspire similar movements in other regions.
