Mental Revolution Community Service Program Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (KKN RM-UNY) team in 2019 carried out a Zero Waste program: Reducing Plastic Waste Culture. This activity, which has a big mission to reduce plastic waste, starting from the smallest environment, was carried out at SD Daratan 1, Bejiharjo Village, Gunungkidul.

This activity was motivated by student anxiety about the amount of plastic waste. Based on data from the Yogyakarta Environmental Agency in 2015, the average waste generation in Gunungkidul Regency was 0.48 kg/person/day. However, the waste generation in the Karangmojo sub-district itself reached 24,788.64 kg per day in 2015 and 25,037.76 kg of waste per day in 2016 (DIY provincial environmental agency, 2015).

According to Jenna Jambeck's research in 2015 entitled "Plastic Waste Inputs From Land Into The Ocean," Indonesia is the second country that produces the most plastic waste after China.

Based on the problems above, this activity is deemed very necessary to be carried out. This activity is not only in the form of counseling, but the real action of students and SDN Gelaran 1 to reduce plastic waste by applying the culture of using tote bags as a substitute for plastic bags in daily activities such as shopping. In addition to reducing plastic waste, this tote bag is used as a medium to develop students' creativity by painting tote bags together. This activity aims to build the habit of using tote bags to reduce plastic waste and increase student creativity. A total of 24 students were divided into three groups to get brushes and paints. Students are free to paint the tote bag as they wish. The other habituation is bringing lunch to school using lunch boxes and disposable drinking bottles. This activity is considered very influential in reducing plastic waste from snacks and drinks in school canteens.

This work program targets 5th-grade elementary school children with the hope of growing a sense of environmental care for themselves, their families, peers, and the surrounding community. However, this concept emphasizes efforts to reduce waste, especially plastic waste, to care for the environment.

We hope that the activities carry sustainably. This activity is counseling and direct practice, such as implementing the culture of using tote bags and using lunch boxes and drinking bottles that are not single-use. In addition, so that the culture of reducing plastic waste can be sustainable, it is applied by all levels of society in everyday life. (Adinda Yuslia, ts-Alina)

Link: https://www.uny.ac.id/berita/mahasiswa-kkn-rm-k020-uny-menerapkan-budaya-zero-waste-di-sd