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| Yessica Florentina |
"Honestly, I don't want to be an environmental activist. I just want to change my family and myself by doing simple things.”
As a young woman growing up in Salatiga, Florentina Yessica knew it was her duty to pay attention to the environment in her city after years of working in Jakarta.
Yessica has given her time to Salatiga since 2019 until now. Previously, she had taken part in environmental preservation activities when she was working in Jakarta as a teacher in a high school for 7 years, especially with her personal life such as reducing the use of plastic waste, sorting trash, or bringing her own cutlery. What motivated her to bring an impact to Salatiga was because of the question she was asking herself.
“Masa pulang ke Salatiga tapi ga bisa bawa apa apa?”
From that moment, she came up with her mission to bring environmental issues to Salatiga and see what she could do for her lovely hometown. Then, Yessica started posting her activities about environmental awareness until she realized those posts had attracted numerous followers and likes on social media. After a certain time, she found people who had the same concerns as her.
The activities she has done so far turn out to cause different reactions from the surrounding people. Some people react positively by giving support and following in her path. But there are also some people who just look and then remain silent which Yessica believes is a challenge for her to change their mindset about saving the environment and make the people of Salatiga become more aware.
Currently, Yessica actively takes part in various activities related to the environment, including as a member of the Bank Sampah Gelima, a member of the Gestimba community, a volunteer at Jelantah for Change, Eco Enzyme Nusantara Salatiga and has also been seen several times as a speaker at certain events, one of them was being a speaker at FLAnture (Faculty of Language and Arts Adventure), a student activity that introduces many things about nature and becomes a place for students to learn how to love the environment more, such as learning to recycle used goods to become something useful.
Being a part of those communities and environmental volunteer has made a special impression on this 34- year-old -woman. Besides helping to protect the environment, she can share with the people who need more help.
"Such a pleasant way to be a ‘solution’ for other people," she said.
And it's true! The activities she does, not only aim to protect the environment but also as charity activities. For example, with Gestimba (Gerakan STOP Timbun Barang) Yessica helps to distribute usable stuff to people who need them more. In line with what Gestimba stands for, it is a friend-to-friend community with the purpose to educate people to stop hoarding items that are no longer used at home but are still suitable for use. Until now, the Gestimba community has carried out many social and environmental activities such as decluttering goods and distributing them by opening a free wearable clothing bazaar, and also organizing training for people who have the heart to make environmental changes too. This also happens to the Jelantah community which facilitates people who want to throw away used cooking oil that later can be recycled to be something that can be valuable.
Yessica, like many environmental activists, believes that no one forces us to do this kind of thing, but everyone can take a part by doing simple things.
"We don't need to be activists if we want to love the environment. All things can start with us. Me and you. Taking action with the little things like reducing the use of plastic, bringing personal cutlery, refusing unnecessary items, and many more small things that we can do without being sweaty and exhausted.”
Group Members:
Della Oktaviani Leiffitar
Nathania Carissa Vida Octaviani Simanjuntak
Frisshilla Agustin Ruben
Maria Abigail Masayu Putri Martinasari S.
