HumasUPNVJ - The problem of waste is a classic problem that is still a homework for the government and the community. Actually, the waste problem can be overcome starting from self-awareness not to litter and proper waste management.

The above problems underlie the UPNVJ Community Service and Research Institute (LPPM) to hold the 2019 Community Appropriate Technology Application Program at the Unity in Diversity Auditorium UPNVJ with the theme Utilization of Plastic Waste as an Entrepreneurial Alternative for the Krukut Community, Limo and Cinere Districts, Depok City, on Tuesday ( 09/07/19).

The event was attended by the Chancellor, Head of LPPM, representatives of UPNVJ lecturers and the waste processing community from Limo and Cinere Districts with a resource person, a businessman named Muhammad Baedowy. He is an entrepreneur who owns a waste recycling business that processes waste into items that can be reused, such as a broomstick made from drink bottles.

In her remarks, UPNVJ Chancellor Erna Hernawati expressed her appreciation to the community, especially the people of the Limo and Cinere Districts. He conveyed that this activity was the obligation of higher education institutions with the aim of providing benefits to the surrounding community.

"We are very happy and appreciate the presence of all ladies and gentlemen who have attended this event as a follow-up to our community service activities. As a university, this is our duty and community service is one of our obligations and it is with our desire to be able to provide benefits to the surrounding community. How can we be able to turn useless items into items of economic value. UPNVJ itself has launched Go Green in the campus environment and in its implementation we can minimize plastic packaged drinks. In this way, I hope that all attendees can contribute to reducing waste and in the next stage we will reduce styrofoam. Lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering are currently also researching how to make food packaging a substitute for Styrofoam to make it more environmentally friendly. Hopefully after the research is complete we can socialize it to the surrounding community together," he said.

In this discussion activity, Mohammad Baedowy showed a video of his efforts to process sam plastic waste as a source of foreign exchange. His hard work has also resulted in various awards, such as 1st place for the best Indonesian entrepreneur at the Dji Sam Soe Awards, Kalpataru and the National Green Industry from the Ministry of Industry. This made the audience even more enthusiastic about reducing plastic waste by processing it into something useful or of economic value.