Paweden Village, Buaran District, Pekalongan Regency, (08/14/2024). Starting from water pollution due to wastewater from washing batik cloth is comparable to the increasing need for clean water for the people of Paweden Village. The increase in the need for clean water has made people in Paweden Village meet their daily needs more by consuming mineral water in plastic bottles. This has caused a new problem in Paweden Village: the accumulation of plastic bottle waste.
Based on this problem, Caroline Audrey Kendra Dewi, a student of KKN (Real Work Lecture) Team II, Diponegoro University, majoring in Civil Infrastructure Engineering and Architectural Design, felt the need to optimize the processing of helpful plastic bottle waste. This optimization process will be better if implemented and in-depth education is carried out for children early on.
On the other hand, a survey has been conducted at SDN Paweden, and discussions with Mr. Kiswanto, S.Pd., M.A.P. as the principal and Mrs. Nur Karimah, S.Pd. as the homeroom teacher for grade V. The school expressed enthusiasm and full support for the program that will be implemented. Thus, it was decided to provide education by making vertical gardens from plastic bottles. Vertical gardens are also an alternative to environmental spatial planning that is arranged vertically. In addition, this activity is a child-friendly planting method.
On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, Caroline provided introductory material to grade V students of SDN Paweden on how to make a vertical garden. Remember, Caroline also invited students to answer several questions and give prizes so that the atmosphere would be exciting and not dull. The support from Mrs. Nur Karimah S.Pd, who helped divide the planting groups, further accelerated the event—accompanied by the Paweden Village KKN student team, helping to distribute used bottles that had been painted white first, after which the students could express their thoughts by drawing on the used bottles using colored markers. Furthermore, planting was carried out until the installation of a series of bottles arranged as many as four bottles vertically on the school wall.
The activity program went very smoothly. “The students are very enthusiastic about learning and participating; I would like to thank Mr. Kiswanto and all the teachers of SDN Paweden,” said Caroline. As a follow-up, it is hoped that students can apply it again in their respective homes and as learning materials. Thus, this program is increasingly supporting the primary goals of SDGs: point 3, to create a healthy and prosperous life, and point 11, to create green space for the public.