Domestic Scale of Greenjobs

I’m currently working on Greenjobs issue when this interesting thought came to my mind and made me writing this post right now. I called it domestic-scale greenjobs, because, for me myself, this job itself doesn’t really need many additional people to do that, but it does contribute something to the environment. The idea was taken from my previous ’study’ about domestic scale composting.

The study that i’m undergo right now, is actually about what kind of skills that emerge along with the development of green issues in Indonesia. Not only what skills that emerge, but also which skills that would be left behind. Well, as far as i’m doing the study, i haven’t got into conclusion that there are skills which will be left behind. But, i do learn one thing, these green issues have definitely increased people’s knowledge and to some, their skills.

In the domestic scale composting, i actually tried to empower my maids at home on how to manage our garbage, especially those domestic waste, such as the left-over food, vegetables, fruits and those related. But, i remember exactly, that before i shared the information to my maids, i had to empower myself. I even had to learn on what kind of waste that i need to put inside the bin, what i need to do afterward, how do i have to control it, when would i know that the process is right or wrong, and other kind of stuffs. After i equipped myself with such knowledge, i then shared it with my maids; hoping that we could really work together in order to get this composting idea works.

Composting idea is actually one of green issues that is available and the mos suitable to apply domestically. But, i realize, that to do the composting, i don’t have to hire another person to work on it specifically. All i did is to retrain my maids, equipped them with knowledge they need to know and let them practicing the knowledge themselves. Well, it didn’t work that well though, but at least, i do got a point from this ‘domestic-scale’ effort of being green.

I came to the conclusion that:

1. New issues will always give space to empowerment efforts or equipping efforts.

2. The outcome of empowerment and equipping is higher level of knowledge, which means better value for the person itself

3. New issues do not always mean new workers; but definitely new knowledge which makes a person going to higher level.

Interesting, right? Because, i think, now i know another way to empower human capacity in the informal sectors of economy. All you have to do is to find what kind of green issues that you can apply at home, whether it involves new equipment (solar cell case would be very interesting) or simply about waste management at domestic-scale, you will surely improving someone’s knowledge and skills about green issues.

I guess, greenjobs are not only belong to people who work in the formal sectors but also those in the informal sectors.

Or not?

ime’…

A New Issue that I’m Learning: Energy Poverty

Not long before i resigned from Pelangi, i have attended a session on Energy Poverty. I wasn’t really pay any attention to the term ‘Energy Poverty’ actually, because i already got a rough idea on what is it. That’s probably one of my weaknesses, to not really pay attention on terms, especially if i already knew what are the meaning behind it. Then, i seriously jumped into this issue, deeper than i thought and i can see how i learn lots of things simply by remembering the term, Energy Poverty.

I then joined IESR in the energy poverty research. I found out that energy poverty can give a great deal to the Millenium Development Goals achievement. If you guys happen to follow the issue, i don’t really think MDGs have moved significantly so far. It’s nearly 10 years of the issues, but i haven’t really seen it achieved.

Let’s take an example of the first goal, which is to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty. Well, according to Indonesian statistic record, it is said that the number of people who live under the poverty line (i assume the survey was undertaken using the world bank definition) has risen from 35.10 million people (15.97%) in February 2005 to 39.05 million (17.75%) in March 2006.

I couldn’t really say much on what caused it. But i guess, the numbers showed us that poverty issues in Indonesia still need to be higlighted.

The more i learn about energy poverty, the more i understand that to eradicate poverty, more efforts are needed. What i say about ‘more efforts’ is not just ‘more efforts’ in context of economy. ‘More efforts’ in this case is more about the life supporting facilities; such as, electricity, fuels, or general energy.

There’s no doubt that people need energy to be able in doing something creative in life. But the problem is, we, as human, need a certain amount of energy to enable us to think. For sure, metabolism energy would be in charge; while metabolism energy comes from the food we ate. Now, can you imagine, if there’s no food to eat, then how would you expect a person would undertake the job he/she entrusted with?

To draw the line further, how would you ensure that the food people are eating were properly prepared? You need the right cooking fuel to ensure that the food you eat are actually healthy and won’t upseted your stomach.

The above causal loop basically can help us to understand why the issue of energy is quite critical for human. Energy poverty itself can be defined as lack of access to energy that could help human to fill their basic needs.

Now, if you couldn’t eat properly, how do you expect poverty can be eradicated?

ime’…

Bangkok Climate Talks Sept-Oct 2009

If you’re happen to be in Bangkok from September 28th up to October 9th 2009, then you won’t miss these kind of things from your sight. Well, i’ve captured some pictures out of the Talks, here in Bangkok, during my stay. And i must say, it is quite interesting actions and facts. Hehhehehe…

Mobilization on Gender Justice Regarding to Climate Justice

This mobilization was driven by some people from Women Solidarity (Indonesia’s), Thai’s organization and also Jubilee South. I couldn’t remember the others, but i do reckon that there are quite a lot of people participating in this mobilization.

Due to rain, they need to cover their head with umbrellas.

Well, i must say that umbrellas are actually a good media to do campaign (it doesn’t mean i’m with the Umbrellas Group if you know what i mean ).

Negotiation tracker (I actually don't have any idea whom are they)

These negotiator trackers, i have read, were originally using red shirts when they’re undertaking their duties inside the negotiation areas. But due to political reason in Bangkok (red means one particular party), they have to change their shirts back to black (seriously, i don’t even recognize them to exist… well… go black??).

Dear developed countries, clock is ticking, so won't you decide what to do??? (40% DOMESTIC EMISSION REDUCTION is actually a non-negotiable bargain)

Well, basically, capturing these pictures has driven me into a thought, what will be our lives in the future when there’s no decision on deeper cuts?

So guys, pay your attention to the climate issues. It would affect your life, your families and mine too…

ime’…

Climate Debt: An Introduction

Being in Bangkok was actually a big question for me, because i don’t really know what to do in Bangkok. Not to mention piles of works i have to leave behind. But then there’s this one thing that interests me which i’ve learned so little in Indonesia, but got more insight in Bangkok. Bangkok Climate Talk, where negotiators from all over the world, trying to stand on their importance, trying to stand for the sake of their family and friends back home, is actually enlighten me for this new issue.

Climate debt is actually a term that written down in the Bolivia’s submission to the UNFCCC. The term was actually covers two types of debt; emission debt and adaptation debt. Basically, Bolivia gave some background as proofs that affirming the demand of developing countries on deeper cuts that developed countries MUST do after Kyoto.

The submission basically demanded that there should be an equal environment space between the developed countries as well as the developings’. In the submission, Bolivia also  presented the significant emission by developed countries that has been produced for couple of years before and they had compared it with those emissions produced by the developings’. It is quite interesting seeing that by the number of population around 20% of the world, the developed countries are actually producing around 70% of carbon emission of the world; which leaves, 80% of population of the world only gave around 30% of the emission. What a finding, right?

Based on that, the climate debt term emerged, which made the Bolivian to push the developed countries to pay for all things that they’ve done to the developing countries.

The first time i heard on the fact, i remember a book that i read not long ago from now, about A Climate of Injustice which actually talking the same thing. The book also mentioned about how human resources poverty is also happening in the developing countries because of what the people from developed countries have had done to those in developing countries.

So, climate debt is now becoming a new issue for me, yet it is a nice and interesting one after for so long i only heard about deeper cuts demands but never has a very good background; people only say that the GHGs concentration in the atmosphere is increasing now and then, based on IPCC bla bla bla… that’s a good basic idea, but i guess Climate Debt makes it better.

What do you think?

ime’…

Tasik’s Earthquake, September 2nd 2009: Aftermath

As most of us probably know, an earthquake happened in the Tasik area. It centered around 142 km north-west of Tasik, 7.3 richter, had affected surrounding towns. TVOne had mentioned that there were around 80 people died, 47 missing and 1250 injured (up to September 12th 2009). I have to be honest, that those numbers cannot be considered as small numbers.  I can still remember how the earthquake affected Jakarta as well; was quite hard and it was a long one.

I had never got the chance to go there at the time. Probably it was my fault that i had too many things to do, that i have put aside to pay the victims a visit and to pay my deep condolence for those people who have lost both their families and their ‘life’ (their house, all of their belongings too). But then, i had a chance to go to pay them a visit, though it was almost two weeks after the disaster. I visited Cikole, Pangalengan area, still in West Java area.

I was speechless, as i saw by my own eyes, how bad their houses have become. All of the ruins were still there; hoped to be glued together simply to be formed back as a house again; a house that is worth to be lived in. Because of the destruction, some of them have to live under tents. Kids playing at the place which was used to be their playground. I couldn’t imagine more of their traumatic.

Some of the stuffs we brought for them, we hope to ease their sadness and brighten up their Eid Mubarak’s celebration. I also hoped that they could get lots of materials to build their home back; a descent place for them to live and to grow their children.

A contact of us shared stories about locations which couldn’t be accessed by some people. They were concerning on access difficulties that made some people couldn’t be reached and no one knows about their existence and their urgent needs. Our contact had mentioned that they need to go further into the villages, in case there are other locations that are still in need of food and stuffs.

There are many things that i have learned when i visited all victims. I learned that it is better for us to go directly to them, instead of donate to other foundations that has long bureaucracy that will prolong our donation to reach those who are in need. I also fully understand that i couldn’t always go directly to places that are in need. But i know for sure, that there are some organizations work directly to the field; thus all of our donation will always go to those unfortunate.

I pray for all the unfortunate, especially those who are vulnerable to disasters that they may get all the help they ever needed in time.

ime’…

Reflecting Lives: A Climate of Injustice

I’m currently reading this book called A Climate of Injustice, which i found its title interesting. I’d like to know what does people think about Climate Injustice, in what side and how? Apparently, i found it more interesting than i’ve imagined it would be. I have learned about the roots on how poor countries need to struggle in the negotiation table and many things more. I haven’t finished in reading it, but basically, i like it (i hope i could finish it on my last day in Pelangi).

There some findings that i found it interesting; such as:

1. One of the effects of climate-related disasters is many people will have no access to basic daily lives essential services. Well, i’ve heard about these essential services thingy, but i haven’t got any idea to think that it could actually be the effect of something instead of a cause to something.

2. Countries with colonial legacies of resource extraction are structurally predisposed toward higher levels of social, economic, and institutional vulnerability because they suffer chronically from declining terms of trade, commodity price volatility, low levels of internal integration, degraded natural environments, weak civil societies, feeble domestic institutions, high domestic inequality, and large informal sectors. OK, this line is actually too long for me to quote, thus i just copied it from my summary and pasted it here. I do have to admit, i kinda like this line, because for me, it is an eye opening.

3. The absence of basic protections like hazard and vulnerability assessments, and environmental plan created ideal conditions for a human disaster.

And there are many more.

Probably the above three are quite familiar for those working in the political area. But for me, those three above gave me a new insight on what kind of things that developing countries (and those least developed ones) need to be aware of; especially the second one. We tend to not realizing the impacts of colonialism in our countries. Apparently, the system that grown in any country that once had been colonies, will affect developing countries in any possible ways.

Whether it is good or not, i guess we need to find out more.

Anyways, this is a good book, really. I enjoy reading it and hopefully i could finish it to upgrade my knowledge on Climate Injustice and a little bit of political lives.

ime’…

For some insight about the book, just click here.

Garut, West Java, Indonesia

Garut is actually a small city that located around 5 hours driving from Jakarta. The reason why I came to visit Garut is because I have heard that Garut is actually a lovely city. Surrounded by mountains, Garut remains in a very nice weather; not so cold or hot, it’s just pleasant. I have re-open my old-edition of Lonely Planet when I found out that Garut has quite a number of craters; one of it is Darajat, which is one of Indonesia’s highly potential of geothermal areas. That made me astoundingly curious about that place. But of course, no matter how small a city in Indonesia is, you cannot really run through it in a day. You still need to stay overnight there, just to see the whole Garut.

The last time I went there, I stayed in Cipanas, a place famous with its hot-water springs. If you go there, don’t expect too much in seeing big pool made naturally out of rocks, that surroundings the spring. Well, if you do expecting that, then you have to be disappointed quite a lot; because there’s nothing such like it there. You can have your hot-water-spring in your bathroom and also in public swimming pool. But to be honest, to walk around by foot, through houses and stuffs, was great. We called it WISATA KAMPUNG.

Another attraction that you may want to visit is Situ Bagendit. It is basically a lake, recreational lake, public recreational lake, that you can visit by paying the entrance fee around 3000 rupiah. You could also rent a boat (we called it RAKIT, because it is made of bindings of big bamboos that could float on water) for around 30.000 rupiah, which you could ride it with another 5 people you selected. You will find a ‘WARUNG’ (sort of like a stall with snacks and coffee that you could buy there) in the middle of the lake. With a mountain (I don’t really recognize what kind of mountain was that) as its background, I can tell, that Situ Bagendit is quite pretty.

The story of Situ Bagendit was believed by people who live there. They believe that Situ Bagendit was once an area of house belongs to Mas Bagen with Nyai Ndit. One day, they had this huge party when finally a beggar came by to ask for water. The beggar was rejected by the couple. Being rejected, the beggar then stabbed a stick on one part of the land. When the stick was stabbed, water came out unstoppable. The water then drowns the whole complex, and since then, people called the complex as Situ Bagendit which means stingy as the couple is quite stingy in giving up a cup of water to the beggar. Well, that’s the story that I’ve heard from the person who took us by RAKIT in Situ Bagendit.

After Situ Bagendit, we went to the next place called Candi Cangkuang. Candi Cangkuang is actually a Candi, joint (venture?) with a site called Kampung Pulo. Kampung Pulo is a kampong (village) where it has only 7 households. If there’s a possibility of the number to increase, then sadly, one has to move out from the village. It’s kind of interesting to me, because I couldn’t really see the reason why they kept their kampong as big as only 7 households.

Candi Cangkuang is just a small candi you could find in Garut. What I like from this site is the Situ (lake). I don’t know why, but I just love the lake.

To get into Candi Cangkuang’s complex, you need to pay around 3000 rupiah/person; and if you want to go across the lake to see Candi Cangkuang itself, you need to jump on a RAKIT (quite the same boat in Situ Bagendit) and paid around 3000 rupiah/person.

It was a fun experience though, since I learned that you don’t need to go that far away from Jakarta just to have a good time and especially, a good view J

All pictures were taken from here and more pictures over Garut are there.

Ime’…

Kiluan – Lampung, Indonesia – One Indonesia’s Beauty

Have you ever heard about Kiluan? Well, i’ve tried to look in my Lonely Planet book (well, it’s the old edition one, so…) and it doesn’t exist there. OK… then i went to this genius search engine named GOOGLE, tried to look where is it exactly… and i didn’t find it as well. So, i guess… i just travel along with my friends…

We went to Kiluan couple of days ago, renting a car which fits around 15 people. We headed Kiluan from Jakarta and it took us around 12-13 hours in total. From Jakarta, we need to go to the Merak Port to take a ferry heading for Bakaheuni, Lampung around 2.5-3 hours. Then from Bakaheuni, we traveled to Bandar Lampung which is around 3 hours by car had a simple breakfast there and directly go to Kiluan.

I have to say that to go to Kiluan, you will have to pass sort-of like an off-road tracks. We were actually broke our bumper there. Well, anyway, we’re already far more than half way to Kiluan, so we went on. We finally reached Teluk Lampung, or we call it Kiluan Bay. From there, we took a small boat called Jukung, rided around 10 minutes to Kiluan Island or people used to called is Pulau Kepala (Coconut Island).

Kiluan itself has a meaning. In Lampung’s language, Kiluan means ‘To ask’. It is said that the island was named Kiluan because there was a noble person named Raden Arya who came from Banten, Malaka, noticed about his death. He was then asked to be burried in the island he chose; and the island is Kiluan.

Seriously, Kiluan’s beach is awesomely pretty. You don’t have to go by boat  to actually snorkeling. You can snorkel nearby the beach. It’s white sand also fully welcomes you. You can go through the island probably around half an hour to complete it. Enjoy the sunset amoung solid reefs at the other side of the island.

Don’t forget to rent a Jukung to see wild dolphins at the sea. You need to go quite far from the land to really look for it. At first i was quite scared, because i rode a Jukung (very small boat which fits 3-4 people) and went to the open sea (geeezzz!!!). But it was fun and adventourous.

You have to try to go there and see the beauty itself. As for me, the more i look to Kiluan’s beach, the more i realize that i live in a country full of natural beauties and leaving me proud as i should.

Kiluan, though it (probably still) is not in the map; yet, it’s astonishingly pretty…

PS: other pictures can be seen at my multiply. Just click here and you’re there

ime’…

Sustainable Development Concept: Financial Aspect

I’m currently reading this book written by Muhammad Yunus about Grameen Bank with which he got the noble price. The reason why i decided to read this book is because i wanted to learn a little bit about microcredit and how can i apply in at the ground, that probably would suit villagers to be able to stand by their own feet. I also think, the microcredit concept will give much help for those poor people who are threatened with climate change impacts to increase their resilience; and of course i need some ideas to be implemented on the ground. Those were some reasons why i really eager to read this book.

I was gotten on page 87, it was about how to improve the rural livelihoods which i found the section as an interesting one.  Learning from this section, i came out with a conclusion about what sustainable means in financial aspect. Therefore, a causal loop came up.

The above causal loop represents how a development usually taking place. It started with investment availability, then going through infrastructure development, to product, went to market system then finally generates income. As we all may know, we could do many things with the income generated than paying the loan. One of it is to return it again as investment for further development; which i reckon, not many of us applied this route.

Sustainable development concept should take the communities into better lives, which means less dependen from other sources but themselves; especially in financial aspect. Many of entities, i think, are going for grants and loans instead of figuring out how they could feed themselves.

I learned this concept from the book of Muhammad Yunus, which enlighten me in many ways. Especially when i read some cases that basically saying no matter how skillful people are, with funding mechanisms that are not supporting them to grow, then their skills will be nothing. Therefore, a suitable funding mechanism needs to be developed. I think a good funding mechanism for people (not limited to villagers only) is the one that could enable people not only to increase their income and skills, but also to enable them to pay their loans and at the same time to be able to invest in certain areas they’re competent in.

That’s then, i think, the point where sustainable development started.

Don’t you think so?

Reference:

Yunus, Muhammad, Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, PublicAffairs, 2007

ime’…

PS: i do really hope that the causal loop can be read and understood. Otherwise, probably we could have an online discussion over it.

Environmental Issues for the Candidates: Which Level?

After quite some time, i started to read newspaper again when i finally caught myself to think about this article. It is basically an opinion from one reader (i suppose) about our president candidates’ working program when they’re elected. Yet, the author said that none of the candidates put any priority to the environment (although when i watched vice-president-candidates debates couple of days ago, i found one of them mentioned about it – specifically: climate change, though i’m not really sure whether he understood it clearly). I was then thinking about the article, trying to be fair and trying to see clearly, why do environmental issues are not becoming priority like education and health. I found out that is because environmental issues are long-term issues (people would realize its importance when it’s too late) and not so very popular for the public.

Reading the article encourage me to develop a causal loop that shows us what will happen if we’re not paying much attention to our environment, specifically, climate change issues.

Based on the causal loop i’ve made, we could all see that everything seems to be in a cycle. One day, i surely believe, the development would stop because we’re lack of natural resources and also environmental services; such as water. These issues i think are important to be considered in any country’s development plan. To make sure that we develop in the right way and making sure that we still have enough resources and environment that still able to support us in living.

If we are not implementing what so called as low-carbon-activities (or low-carbon-economy), we would generate lots of carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases for sure) that will increase our planet’s temperature. We need to remember that everything on this earth has its own capacity to survive the temperature increases. If the increament went rapidly, it is highly possible that all the biodiversity (which means our natural resources) would drop into significant amount. By that time, food will be scarce, water will be hard to get and we’re no longer resilient to climate.

I do realize, that environmental issues are something long-term, something that many people couldn’t see yet. That’s why not so many people would think about that. What they would probably think is just how to make themselves comfortable even more if they could afford it, today. Which is for me, it’s sad.

Coming back to the presidential issues due to environment, i think it has the same importance with education and health. Environmental issues can be paralleled with any aspect in life as i’m sure. In education, we need to educate ourselves and also our kids to do energy efficiency and waste management. In health, we need to educate ourselves and also our kids to taking care of our own home, to throw garbage at its place and many things more.

I do hope, although i haven’t heard many environmental issues came out from the candidates, that they would also consider environmental issues when (any of them) becoming the next Indonesian President.

So, basically, i do agree with the author of the article i have mentioned (and gave link) above.

ime’…