Visiting the Office of Environmental Minister of Indonesia
By Princess of Environment 2003 Nastiti Puspitosari
At 7.15 in the morning we went to the Juanda Airport in Surabaya to go to Jakarta. It’s an honor for us to meet Mr. Nabiel Makarim the Minister for Environmental of Indonesia 2003. We already prepared some arts works on the environment. Each of us brought an art works. Such as: Dominggo brought an environmental comic about the vandalism of Earth. It causes by the human who don’t care for environmental around them.
And me, Nastiti made ten pictures about the condition’s of Surabaya in the past, now and Surabaya Dreaming. I also made a picture about Surabaya’s dance and cultural, as same as I gave to Millennium Kids.
Laura made an environmental song, it called Hutan (Forest) and Mentari (Sun). All of our works would be giving and presented to Mr. Nabiel Makarim – Minister for the Environment of Indonesia.
Along the distance we prepared everything that would be giving and presented for the minister. Except the works, we also told some stories when we were in Australia and explained our environmental project and action plan for the next a year.
We reached Jakarta and the staff of the minister ready to pick us up. Not as Surabaya, Jakarta has more and more green spaces or park than Surabaya. Let’s see! A long the way to the Minister office, we can see so many parks from the window. In the past, Jakarta was a terrific city. So much problems about Environmental included air pollution.
Probably two years ago the United Nation of Environmental Program approves that Jakarta was the city that has high stage of air pollution in the world. But now, the government built many green spaces in the edge of the roads. In the coast, they also planted mangroves to avoid the erosion and abrasion.
In front of the Minister office, directly we went to the 6th floor to meet with Miss Dany Soerjo, the manager of ACIL Jakarta. In her office all of us prepared again every thing that would be given to the Minister. While we prepared, we met the Environmentalist of Water who works in Bogor, West Java. He was researching about the water pollution and clean water in the city now.
Before we went to the Minister’s office we come and see Mrs. Nelly, Bit of Deputy 7. There, we discussed for a while about our environmental project and our action plan with her. She gave us many suggestions for our project and our action plan.
After we discussed with Mrs. Nelly we directly went to the Minister’s office. Suddenly the minister still accompanied a guess, so we’ve to wait for a while. While we wait, someone gave us a book called Almanak Lingkungan Hidup (Environmental Almanac). The book contain of the story about the condition of the environment in Indonesia since 1995.
The guesses were back and the Minister let us to come and see his office. All of us shake hand with him and he asked our name. These was the time to started discuss with the Minister. President of Tunas Hijau Club started speech and explain about what Prince and Princess of Environmental Award is and how does it work. Following, we explained what our projects are and how does it make differences for our live. Beside of that we also explained and told some story when we were in Australia for attending an Environmental Conference
For this year the fellows Prince and Princess of Environmental have prepared and made some action plan for 2003 till 2004. One of our action plans is Families Tree Planting which is inviting some families to come and bring one plants that would be planted in our new green spaces. So, we invited Minister’s family to come to Surabaya and attend for Families Tree Planting in next January.
After we explained a lot about our environmental project, our action plan and environmental conference in Australia, the Minister asked us a lot of question too. ”What do you think the biggest environmental problem in Surabaya?” As we feel every day and since previous day, the government and the society always worried about rubbish problem. There is so much rubbish in my city and of course it causes rubbish problem which gave bad effect for our daily life. When the rainy season comes, and there are many rubbish in the river it caused big flood every year.” We answered.
“I see, and if you were a Minister of environment, what would you do for the first time?” the minister offered us to answer the question.” Actually we look forward for that job, it looks like challenging. But, if I were the Minister of environment in Indonesia we had to started from our self, and try to asked and ask people around us to care of environment. Beside of that I want to build as many parks as we can for greening Indonesia and decreasing the air pollution stage.” I said.
“Do you want to look forward the Minister of Environment in Indonesia?” minister asked. ”Actually no, but its okay looks like challenging. I want to be a chemical engineer,” I told.
Mrs. Nelly and Miss. Dany also accompanied us. Minister also gave us a lot of new environmental knowledge. “You have to consistent what do you want to be for your future, right?” advised the Minister.
Before we went back, we gave our arts works. And I gave a picture of Surabaya Dreaming and a picture when I gave to Millennium Kids about Surabaya’s traditional dance. Laura has made a song and we sang the song together. The songs are containing about our dreaming of Surabaya and ask the people to care of the environment around them. And these are the song:
MENTARI
Mentari Bersinar lagi,
Kupu-kupu datanglah kembali,
Daun-daunpun menari,
Burung ikut bernyanyi………
4x
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HUTAN
Ayo kawan-kawan mari kita buat hutan,
Untuk paru-paru kota Surabaya
Reff: Kota yang baru, Hutan yang baru
Surabaya hijau lagi
A…AA…..Yeah
Kota yang baru, Hutan yang baru,
Kupu-kupu datang lagi
A…A…..Yeah
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For our action plan the Minister gave us 15 Matoa. Matoa is a kind of shady and fruity tree. It’s also a kind of rare plants, so if we plant it, we have to take care of the trees. We were said thank you very much to the Minister that already gave us an opportunity to meet with him. And we were thankful for the suggestions for our project and action plan too. The Minister promised to come to our Families Tree Planting and see our Matoa.
From the Minister office we went to Mr. Arif Yuwono who the secretary of the minister same as before we told him about our project, action plan and our activities to him. Before we went back to Surabaya we stop at the Library. There, we look for a good book about environmental problem fix. The library also has so many facilities and full of information about environment.
So many experiences we’ve got from the Minister office. We got many suggestions to mend our activities. We also said thank you so much to Miss Dany for giving an opportunity to walk and see around the Minister office. We went back to the airport and home to Surabaya. (*)