By: Sani Firmansyah (Supporter Center Officer)

Forests are the lungs of the world. Forests have an important role in maintaining the balance of nature and the lives of creatures in it. Behind the tightness of the crush of high-rise buildings, the noise of exhaust, and the thick dust of air pollution caused by motor vehicles, there is a shade in one corner of the capital. That place is called Sangga Buana Urban Forest. Like getting new lungs, when entering the urban forest area on the banks of the Pesanggrahan River, Karang Tengah, Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, fresh air and a gentle breeze can immediately be felt.

It was in the urban forest that the commemoration of Earth Day with Panda Mobile was carried out. On Saturday (22/04), the Panda Mobile team collaborated with the National Development University to organize activities to study the ecosystems in the urban forest and Pesanggrahan River, as well as see waste management which was directly guided by the advisor of the Sangga Buana Farmer Group, H. Chaerudin.

The activity began by circling the Pesanggrahan River. "In 1989, the condition of the river was very alarming. The land was very arid. There was a lot of garbage along the banks of Pesanggrahan River," said the man who is familiarly called Babe Idin. Furthermore, participants were invited to see the construction of a bridge that was harmonized with the principle of conservation where the existence of the ecosystem under the bridge was managed so that it could continue to live well. "We cannot be hostile to development. We have to build, but in accordance with the rules so that nature is good," he said.

Furthermore, all participants were invited to see how to manage waste, which is almost 20 tons every day. In the landfill, Babe Idin invited the Sangga Buana Farmer Group to be able to jointly process waste so that it can be utilized again. Participants, who were mostly students, were invited to sort the waste in the landfill. "Babe, what do you use the waste here for?" asked Femmy, a student of National Development University. "We use the waste here for compost for the bamboo around the urban forest. The rest of the time, we use the gas from the waste for electrical energy around the urban forest," explained Babe Idin.

After learning and observing the ecosystem in the urban forest, all participants were invited to participate in an activity from Panda Mobile, namely recycling used T-shirts into shopping bags. "Why does WWF-Indonesia invite utilizing used t-shirts to be used as shopping bags? So that we can reduce the use of plastic bags that have a negative impact on marine species, especially sea turtles which are often found eating plastic bags that are thrown into the sea," said Felita, volunteer Panda Mobile. They looked enthusiastic about the activity.

Next, the Panda Mobile team invited the participants to test the water quality by using the water laboratory facilities at Panda Mobile. The water samples used were taken from around the Sangga Buana Urban Forest. They measured the acidity of the water (water pH) and the microbial content in the water. Microbes found in water can be bioindicators of water quality.

"Earth Day is actually every day we should commemorate it. But through this momentum, we hope that the citizens of National Development University can increase awareness of the importance of the surrounding environment and can sustainably help protect this Earth," hoped Erna, Vice Rector of National Development University.