Inviting the Community to Preserve the River, ESN Holds an Exhibition on the River

Friday to Sunday (4 to 6/3/2022) Nusantara River Expedition (ESN) holds Sachet Coffee Rejection Exhibition on the Wonosalam river. "We exhibit photos of sachet waste which is a waste problem in Java's rivers," said Diki Dwi Cahya, the chairman of the exhibition committee, further ESN Public Relations explaining that this exhibition has been visited by more than 500 visitors to the Tanah Senja Wonosalam shop.

This exhibition activity on water is unique because the visitors have to get wet to enjoy the exhibition boot which displays dozens of photos that explain the problem of plastic waste that pollutes the Brantas, Bengawan Solo, Ciliwung and Citarum rivers. "Every year there are 8 million tons of plastic waste produced by the Indonesian population, the government is only able to process 3 million tons, 5 million tons of waste are scattered in nature and are not managed, in addition to being burned, 2.7 tons of unprocessed plastic waste is thrown into the river and flows into the sea, and some got stuck in the trees on the banks of the river," said Tonis Afriyanto, the coordinator of Ecoton Zerowaste. The exhibition on water held by Ecoton also invites visitors to observe the microplastic content in the water. "This exhibition is innovative and informative, we gain a lot of knowledge about the dangers of plastic and know that the water contains microplastics," said Sofi Azilan, an 8th semester student at Nahdatul Ulama Surabaya University, a visitor to the exhibition.

Mode for education, recreation

"The exhibition can be used as photo spots and as photo tours," said Slamet Sukarti, furthermore, the teacher of Junior High School Nidhomuddin Sidoarjo explained that the exhibition activities held by ESN provide a lot of educational content for students during this pandemic. This plastic hazard exhibition is planned to be held in cities along the Brantas River in Malang, Kediri, Tulungagung and Blitar. "This exhibition shows us that the problem of plastic waste must be reduced by our actions as citizens of the earth to reduce the use of single-use plastics including coffee sachets because sachet waste is difficult to be recycled," said Daru setyorini, further as lecturer at Darul Ulum University Jombang stated that waste plastic has a serious impact on the environment and health because plastic fragments or flakes can turn into microplastics. 

"This plastic exhibition on water is a mode for education, recreation and invites visitors to become scientists because they are invited to directly conduct microplastic research in rivers," said Abdul Mukti, one of the exhibition visitors who came directly from Gresik and wanted to take a selfie in the plastic bottle aisle booth. “I want to take a photo in the plastic bottle aisle, previously I could only see it through online media, now I have participated," Abdul Mukti concluded.