A team of lecturers from the rural sociology research group, Agricultural Extension and Communication study program, Faculty of Agriculture UNS held education and counselling related to household waste management and the initiation of waste banks in Kepuh Hamlet, Karangturi Village, Gondangrejo, Karanganyar, Saturday-Sunday, 10-11 June 2023 The 2-day activity was held to commemorate the environmental day in Karangturi Village. Participants who attended were 35 people who were representatives of the PKK and members of farmer groups (KWT). Participants were very enthusiastic about participating in the activities carried out, especially when invited by resource persons to introspect regarding community behaviour in treating waste. The behaviour of sorting and utilizing waste that still has economic value has yet to become a habit for the local community. However, some work as garbage workers and collectors at the Putri Cempo TPA. The speaker for the first day, Dr Ir Retno Setyowati, M.S., invites each household to implement eight family functions, including one of which is the function of the environment which is very closely related to environmental cleaning activities from waste.
While on the second day of the training, the women were invited to use waste through a waste bank activity. As the speaker, Eksa Rusdiyana, S.P., M.Sc (Secretary of the UNS Campus Garbage Bank), invited the use of waste and initiated a village waste bank. PKK and KWT members were also very enthusiastic and formed the waste bank management. PKK Chairwoman Rini asked her members to use waste and increase household awareness so they have good literacy related to waste management. A waste bank established in Karangturi Village can educate the community at the village level, and community participation will also increase. Separately, Mulyani, S.Ag, S.Sos, as the Head of Karangturi Village, hopes that the existence of this waste bank can continue to grow and provide benefits.
UNS itself, especially the Agricultural Counseling and Communication Study Program, has been intensely holding assistance and community service activities in Karangturi Village since 2020 either through the Community Service Program (KKN), Community Development Center (BDC), Independent Learning Campus Merdeka (MBKM) Building Villages, as well as group research service. Activities that have been carried out include fostering and forming farmer women’s groups (KWT), fostering MSMEs, farming community houses (rum), and fostering waste banks.
