MINISTER LAUDS AMBON AS FIRST CITY TO FOLLOW UP CLEAN UP MOVEMENT by Fardah

     Jakarta, Feb 12, 2013 (Antara) - Ambon, the capital of Maluku Province, has already had a routine clean up program every Friday which is participated in by almost all civil servants as a commitment of the Ambon administration to the environmental preservation.

        Ambon Mayor Richard Louhenapessy, however, has wanted to intensify the program by initiating a Clean Up Ambon Movement which was inspired by Clean Up Indonesia Movement announced by Vice President Boediono in November 2012.

        This Clean Up Ambon Movement is a continuation of a regular clean up program which is carried out every Friday in Ambon, the mayor said.

         On February 11, 2013, the Clean Up Ambon Movement as part of Clean Up Indonesia campaign was officially launched by Indonesian Environmental Affairs Minister Balthasar Kambuaya.

          "I appreciate the mayor of Ambon who has become a pioneer in following up the Clean Up Indonesia activities by conducting concrete actions in this region," Kambuaya said.

          Ambon is one of the first Indonesian cities that organize clean up campaigns as a follow up to Clean Up Indonesia Movement launched by Vice President Boediono on November 12, 2012, he said.
     "Throughout Indonesia, Ambon is the first city to follow up the national clean up movement. It should become a model," he said.

            Kambuaya urged the Ambon people and other stakeholders such as NGOs, to participate in and support the campaign.

         The minister hoped for a smooth implementation of the clean up campaign themed "Save Our Environment" in Ambon.  "But, I have added the theme into 'Save the Environment for Sweet Ambon and Our People's Welfare'," he stated.

            Ambon's location is very strategic and the city has huge tourism potential, according to the minister.

           Therefore, the minister hoped the Clean Up campaign in Ambon to become a continuous movement to preserve the environment in the beautiful beach city and improve the local people's welfare.

         After officially launching the clean up movement at the Ambon Islamic Center, Minister Kambuaya planted a three in the venue of the environmental campaign.

         Kambuaya also encouraged and supported Ambon to implement a trash bank program, which would help "turn waste into money" because garbage could have economic value if treated properly
    "Waste would be treated properly through the trash bank program to improve the people's welfare," the minister said.

         He called on the commitment of the Ambon administration and business circle to the realization of the trash banks in the city.      
    Trash bank program encourages the public to implement 3R principles, namely reduce, recycle and reuse in order to preserve the environment and at the same time to develop grass root economic.

         The program should become a momentum to improve the people's collective awareness of environmentally friendly waste treatment and make it a new culture in Indonesia, the minister stated.

            In line with the Law No. 18/2008 on waste treatment, every household has the responsibility to treat its trash and the people should not leave the waste management to the government alone.

         The ministry has targeted to develop at least 25 trash banks in each of 250 cities across Indonesia by 2014.

         On November 12, 2012, Vice President Boediono  in Jakarta officially opened a  national coordination meeting of Clean Up Indonesia Movement (GIB), which aims to step up efforts to achieve a clean and healthy environment by involving 5 ministries and national agencies.

         The theme of the coordinating meeting was "Maintaining the Cleanliness Reflects the Dignity of the Nation".

         A year earlier, on November 3, 2011,  Boediono outlined six priority targets in improving the national cleanliness standard.
    The vice president's spokesman Yopie Hidayat quoted Boediono that the targets in the clean up movement are: transportation facilities such as railway stations, airports, harbors and bus terminals; rivers in big cities;  schools; medical facilities such as hospitals and community health centers; liquid and solid waste management in cities;  and to change mindset through education and public awareness campaigns.

        Clean Up Indonesia Movement is part of Clean Up the World, which is a community based environmental campaign that inspires and empowers communities from every corner of the globe to clean up, fix up and conserve their environment.

         Founded 20 years ago, Clean Up the World has grown to become one of the largest and most successful environmental action initiatives in the world - mobilising an estimated 39 million people each year.

        Born from the highly successful Clean Up Australia Day campaign, Clean Up the World, which is based in Sydney Australia, now works in 132 countries.

        With the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as its primary partner, Clean Up the World contributes to the achievement of UNEP's sustainable development policies at a practical, grass roots, and community level.

       This year, Clean Up the World Weekend is scheduled to take place on 20-22 September 2013, according to information posted on the http://www.cleanuptheworld.org.

       Clean Up The World activities include recycling and resource recovery, tree planting, education campaigns, water reuse and conservation, competitions, exhibitions and fix up projects. ***4***
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