By: Annisa Ayu Aysahra Alfani (Volunteer Panda Mobile) & Natalia Trita Agnika

Children may not realize that waste can have a negative impact on the preservation of animals and the environment. Through storytelling and 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) activities, WWF-Indonesia's Panda Mobile tried to convey the waste problem and one of the solutions to around 256 students in grades 1-6 at Generasi Rabbani Elementary School, Cibubur, on Thursday (7/12).

Information about waste, especially plastic waste, was first delivered by Kak Ryan through storytelling. Beginning with a song, Kak Ryan told a story about a plastic bag that was carelessly thrown away by humans until it was carried into the forest. An animal living in the forest was entangled by the plastic waste. Through interactive storytelling, the students were encouraged not to litter as it is bad for animals and the environment. In addition to showing the adverse effects of plastic waste, the students were also invited to take concrete action by reducing the use of plastic bags.

Another solution taught by the Panda Mobile team related to the waste problem is to utilize used goods into something more useful. On this occasion, the Panda Mobile team invited 5th and 6th grade students to participate in a 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) activity that utilizes used plastic bottles. In groups, the students arranged the used bottles into a cube shape with a cardboard base. The bottles were used as trash bins to be placed outside the classroom to collect wet waste.

In addition to these two activities, Panda Mobile also invited students to engage in movie watching activities, "orangutan" themed cranklek games, "spaceship" games, and water observation using Panda Mobile's water laboratory facilities.

"We are very happy to be visited by WWF-Indonesia's Panda Mobile team to educate our students. Hopefully the information that has been provided can be applied by our students in their daily lives," said Dian, Vice Principal of Student Affairs.