Mimo: From Environmental Anxiety to Environmental Action

mimo in action

Mobile Laboratory Raises Awareness of the Dangers of Microplastics and Promotes Action Against Single-Use Plastics

Surabaya, September, 3, 2026 — Mimo (Microplastic Mobile Laboratory) has been launched to encourage young people to reduce their use of single-use plastics while serving as a mobile environmental health laboratory. Through Mimo, students not only learn to identify microplastic pollution and conduct simple environmental research, but are also encouraged to understand and manage their anxiety about environmental degradation. This approach helps students transform fear and concern into knowledge and concrete action to reduce environmental anxiety.

“Mimo educates children about the dangers of microplastics and helps them understand the problem, express their concerns, conduct experiments, and realize that they have the ability to be part of the solution,” said Sofi Azilan Aini, a River Warrior Indonesia activist who helped initiate Mimo.

According to Erica Damayanti, Mimo Project Coordinator, the program has three main objectives:

1. Providing knowledge about microplastics, their sources, and their potential health impacts on humans.

2. Building young people's skills to detect microplastics on the skin, in water, in the air, and on leaf surfaces using microscopes, as well as learning techniques for collecting microplastic samples from the environment.

3. Encouraging young people to reduce their use of single-use plastics, including sachet food and beverage packaging, plastic cups and bottles, Styrofoam, straws, and plastic food wrappers.

Mimo is also expected to empower young people to influence their friends, parents, and communities to reduce the use of single-use plastics, which are a major source of microplastic pollution in the environment and a potential pathway for microplastics to enter the human body.

“Mimo also encourages young people to use social media to campaign about the dangers of using single-use plastic food packaging,” said Khusnatul Khomsah. She further explained that, as part of the editorial team of Environmental Pollution, Mimo is expected to become a companion for young people as they take concrete action in response to the environmental crisis caused by single-use plastics.

Mimo Builds Empathy

As part of its activities, the Mimo team will invite young people to learn about microplastics directly from different environmental media, including water, air, leaf surfaces, and human skin.

“We have a citizen science handbook containing guidelines for collecting microplastic samples from river water, air, leaf surfaces, and human skin, and for observing them using microplastic research equipment with magnification ranging from 400 to 1,000 times, all available inside our mobile laboratory,” said Rafika Aprilianti.

The Head of Ecoton's Microplastic Laboratory further explained that the Mimo vehicle is equipped with 10 portable microscopes, a citizen science handbook as a research guide, posters about microplastics, educational activity sheets, and booklets explaining the dangers of microplastics and providing tips for living a healthier lifestyle without single-use plastics.

Gibran Enthusiastic About Using a Microscope for the First Time

The Mimo pilot activity was held on Monday, August 31, 2026, in front of SMPN 58 Surabaya, along the Kali Tebu waterway.

One of the participants, Gibran, a third-grade student at SD Negeri Tanah Kali Kedinding, was excited about Mimo's arrival. He said learning about microplastics became more interesting because it involved direct observation and was presented through fun activities.

“I'm happy, Miss. This is something new for us. We can play while learning,” said Gibran, a third-grade student at SD Negeri Tanah Kali Kedinding.

Gibran and his friends were enthusiastic about learning with Mimo again. They hoped Mimo would return so they could continue learning and using the microscopes.

Invisible to the Naked Eye, Yet Very Real

“Earlier, I collected a water sample from Kali Tebu in front of my school. It looked clean, but when we looked at it under the microscope, there were many microplastic particles and other dirt. Many people still throw their waste into Kali Tebu,” said Fikri, a sixth-grade student at SD Negeri Sidotopo Wetan V.

Fikri said he was surprised after observing the Kali Tebu water sample.

The microplastic observation provided students with a new experience. Although the water in Kali Tebu appeared clean to the naked eye, it could contain microplastic particles that can only be detected with the help of a microscope.

Students were also introduced to the fact that plastic pollution is not limited to river water. Microplastic contamination can occur in the surrounding environment, including on leaves, and particles may also potentially adhere to the human body.

Already Accustomed to Bringing Reusable Bottles to School

At the end of the session, the Mimo research team encouraged participants to help prevent microplastic pollution by reducing their use of single-use plastics.

“We need to reduce our use of seven types of single-use plastics: plastic shopping bags, sachet packaging, plastic bottled drinking water, Styrofoam, microbeads in personal care products, plastic straws, and paper or plastic cups,” said Khusnatul Khomsah.

“When leaving home, we should bring our own reusable bottle and lunch box to reduce microplastic pollution,” said Carissa, a sixth-grade student at SD Negeri Sidotopo Wetan V.

Carissa explained that students at her school are already accustomed to bringing reusable bottles to school. She also encourages her friends to adopt the same habit, not only for their own benefit but also as a collective effort to reduce plastic use.

The Mimo blusukan activity along Kali Tebu is one of the efforts to bring microplastic education closer to communities, particularly children. Through hands-on learning, students gain not only knowledge about the dangers of plastic pollution but also an understanding that change can begin with simple everyday habits.

“Schools, communities, and neighborhoods across Surabaya, Gresik, Sidoarjo, and Mojokerto can invite Mimo to come and have fun learning about microplastics while developing action plans to reduce single-use plastics,” said Erica.

She added that Mimo can be contacted via WhatsApp at 082143181286.