Yogyakarta, 14 November 2025 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FIB UGM) reaffirmed its commitment to developing an environmentally responsible campus by organizing a Workshop on Waste Management and Recycling at the Multimedia Room, RM Margono Building. The program forms part of the UGM Sustainability Campus Action FIB 2025 initiative and serves as a concrete effort to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
In her opening remarks, the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni of FIB UGM, Dr. Mimi Savitri, M.A., Ph.D., emphasized the essential role of the academic community in maintaining environmental sustainability. She noted that an eco-conscious culture can only be achieved through shared awareness and collective participation across all campus components. The workshop thus served as both a discussion forum and a practical training platform to build new perspectives and habits in waste management, especially for administrative staff, cleaning personnel, the landscaping team, and representatives of LEM FIB UGM, all of whom participated enthusiastically.
The main session featured Prof. Ir. Wiratni, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., IPM., an environmental engineering expert who presented the fundamental concepts of waste management based on the 3R principles—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. During her presentation, Prof. Wiratni elaborated on the importance of separating organic and inorganic waste, simple recycling techniques applicable in office settings, and case studies of waste management implementation in other campuses. She also highlighted the challenges UGM continues to face in reducing waste production and outlined practical strategies that each work unit can adopt to contribute to long-term solutions.
The event continued with an interactive discussion session between the audience and the speaker. Student participants conveyed their evaluations and aspirations regarding improved facilities to foster a cleaner faculty environment and strengthen discipline in waste sorting. Meanwhile, representatives from the cleaning team shared various ongoing efforts in handling inorganic waste such as leaves and food remnants. “Food waste has thankfully been managed by turning it into animal feed. As for fallen leaves, some are discarded, shredded, and processed into compost,” explained one of the FIB cleaning staff members. The dialogue remained lively as participants exchanged insights on waste management practices currently implemented across UGM, particularly within FIB.
The workshop produced several positive outcomes, including improved staff understanding of waste categories and management methods, as well as stronger collective awareness of the urgency of waste reduction on campus. Several work units also expressed their commitment to implementing continuous waste sorting practices. As a follow-up, FIB UGM plans to provide additional waste-sorting facilities around the faculty and conduct regular monitoring led by the FIB Sustainability Team. These steps align with the faculty’s long-term efforts to support UGM’s green campus goals in accordance with the SDGs.
Through this initiative, FIB UGM hopes that all staff and students can become agents of change in creating a cleaner, healthier, and more resource-efficient academic environment. The workshop reinforces FIB UGM’s dedication to advancing a culture of sustainability and strengthening its contribution to global sustainable development goals, positioning the campus as a real-world model of environmentally friendly practices for the broader community.
[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]
