Climate change has become an urgent issue in the 21st century, where daily human activities that result in overconsumption and waste production have become a major contributor to causing further environmental damage. On November 9, 2024, Enter Nusantara successfully organized the “Sustainable Creation Workshop.” This event aims to broaden the knowledge of Enter Nusantara Volunteers as well as increase public awareness of the importance of waste reduction through upcycling, support clean energy transition, and empower participants’ creativity by utilizing used materials into new products that are useful for community needs.
The concept of upcycling is one of the most promising local solutions. Not only does it reduce waste to landfill, but upcycling also reduces carbon emissions generated from the production process of new goods. With a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) approach, Enter Nusantara is always committed to inviting participants from various.
The activity was designed with four main objectives that supported each other. First, to raise environmental awareness by providing participants with insights into the relationship between waste reduction, upcycling practices, and their impact on climate change. Second, to promote a clean energy transition by educating participants to reduce their consumption of new items to support energy-saving practices. Third, to exercise participants’ creativity by equipping them with the skills to create new products from recycled materials. Finally, this activity aims to mobilize the active participation of participants to sustainably contribute to waste reduction efforts.
The event was successfully attended by 10 participants from Teman Enter and various communities. During the workshop, participants were involved in interactive discussions and hands-on practice making recycled items such as pouches and used banners.
The workshop had a significant positive impact on the participants. Participants gained a better understanding of the impact of waste on climate change and the importance of reducing the consumption of new goods. In addition, they also gained new skills by successfully creating items from used materials, opening up opportunities to utilize waste innovatively. The event also succeeded in encouraging participants to be more active in the waste reduction and upcycling movement and create a sustainable impact.
From this workshop, there are several important lessons learned. First, cross-community collaboration has proven successful in enriching the ideas and solutions generated, as the involvement of various parties can bring diverse perspectives. Second, a creative approach is a key factor in creating sustainable solutions, even with limited resources. Finally, commitment to sustainability is essential, where the solutions generated from this workshop should not only stop as a discourse but need to be continued with real action.
The Sustainable Creation workshop has proven that big changes towards sustainability can start from small, concrete steps. In the midst of technical challenges, such as limited resources and technological constraints, the spirit of collaboration built during this event shows how important collective strength is in overcoming these obstacles. More than just a learning space, this workshop created a deep awareness of the importance of a more environmentally responsible mindset.
Creative approaches, such as upcycling, have brought a new way of seeing waste not as a problem, but as an opportunity. By involving a wide range of people from various communities and creative young people, the event showed how active participation can change perceptions and behaviors towards environmental issues. Upcycling, initially seen as a simple activity, evolved into a symbol of hope and a real solution for a greener and more sustainable future.
However, the challenges that emerged during this process also underscore the need for continued innovation and stronger support from various parties, including the government, the private sector, and communities. Without such support, such efforts risk becoming sporadic initiatives with no long-term impact. Therefore, it is important to make Sustainable Creation not just a momentary event but also an inspiring model that can be replicated and developed in various places.
Ultimately, the workshop taught us that sustainability is not an end goal, but a journey that requires commitment, creativity and the courage to start small. With an inclusive and action-oriented approach, we can make upcycling and similar innovations a catalyst for change towards a better world.
