SUMEDANG – Plastic waste management remains a major environmental challenge across various regions. To shift the community’s perspective on waste—from mere unusable trash into a source of opportunity—the “Unpad Berdampak” Community Service Team (PPM) from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran (FIB Unpad), launched a community empowerment initiative in Cijambu Village, Tanjungsari District, Sumedang Regency.
Led by Dr. Lina Meilinawati Rahayu, M.Hum., the FIB Unpad lecturer team collaborated with The BIYA Project to host a workshop titled “From Trash to Treasure: Creative Economy Community Empowerment.” Attended by 30 members of the Cijambu Village Family Welfare Movement (PKK), the event combined outreach, demonstrations, and hands-on practice in processing used plastic bags into various creative products with aesthetic and economic value.
Driving Sustainability through the Three SDG Pillars
This program focused not only on practical skills training, but also directly supported several target Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (SDG 5: Gender Equality) Through the active involvement of PKK members, this initiative provides space for rural women to enhance their personal capacity and financial independence. The upcycled plastic craft products hold the potential to be developed into home industries, thereby boosting family economic welfare in an inclusive manner.
- Climate Action & Responsible Consumption (SDG 13: Climate Action & SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production) Recycling used plastic bags directly helps reduce the volume of synthetic waste that is difficult to decompose in the environment. By adopting zero-waste principles and a circular economy, the community is encouraged to embrace a more eco-friendly lifestyle while minimizing their carbon footprint at the local level.
- Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals)The collaboration among academia (FIB Unpad), the creative sector (The BIYA Project), local government (Cijambu Village Government), and local residents serves as concrete proof of the importance of cross-sector synergy in creating real action for sustainable development.
Small Steps for Big Change
Through this workshop, managing plastic waste is no longer viewed as a burden, but rather as the beginning of economic innovation and environmental sustainability. This collaboration is expected to continue and serve as an inspiration for other regions in integrating community empowerment with global sustainability principles.