UNAIR NEWS – The poor condition of beaches with lots of garbage can reduce tourist attraction. Responding to this problem, the Indonesian New Generation (GenBI) Department Environment Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) collaborated with the community of Kedung Cowek to hold a beach cleanup movement at Nambangan Beach, Kenjeran, Surabaya City. An activity called the Beach Cleaning Movement (GEBER) was held on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Violeta Dwi Octavia, Chief Executive of the Beach Cleaning Movement, said that the targets of this activity were students awardee Bank Indonesia Scholarship (GenBI) and the surrounding community of Nambangan Beach, especially the youth organization. She admitted that GEBER activities could spark direct community involvement.
“Seeing Kenjeran Beach as a tourism destination in the city of Surabaya, cleanliness is a shared responsibility as an effort to reduce plastic waste and prevent pollution of the marine environment,” she said.
Process of Beach Cleaning Movement
GenBI community annually organizes beach clean-ups, as a form of participation in protecting the coastal and estuarine environment to create a clean, sustainable, and trash-free environment. During the activity process, GenBI awardees and local youth organizations spread out on the beach to collect pieces of rubbish, branches, plastic, and tree branches.
Starting from preparing beach cleaning equipment such as latex gloves, trash bags, and hand washing soap, involving the Cleaning Service and the Surabaya City Environmental Service to participate in the process of picking up rubbish, collecting rubbish, and transporting rubbish by truck.
Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility
Violeta regretted the poor condition of the beach environment which is less than clean. So it is important to foster public awareness of the surrounding environment. She said the beach cleanup movement could reduce negative impacts. Furthermore, this activity is also a lesson in reducing the use of plastic and how to manage plastic waste properly.
According to her, the beach cleaning activity is a small action to realize the one of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, community service, and it also supports SDG 14: Life Under Water. By carrying out beach clean-up actions, students can show their service to the community and their surroundings. As agents of change, they participate in answering problems in society.
“Hopefully, this activity will run sustainably, more residents and community leaders will actively participate and be aware of the cleanliness of the surrounding environment, especially beaches which have economic value,” she hoped.
Author: Mutiara Rachmi Karenina
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
