A Love Note to Mother Earth

February the 14th is approaching us in a matter of days. In this season, we’re challenging you to give extra attention to mother nature through the use of technology.

Check out what these tech and nature enthusiast are doing with IoT to care for the earth and in return take care of everyone living in it.

Waste Management
Indonesia is only second to China when it comes to plastic waste. According to a study by the University of Georgia, Indonesia tosses 3.22 million metric tones of plastic waste annually into the surrounding ocean. Pushed by the urgency to change, the government seeks to minimize plastic trash to 70% by 2025.

SMASH Bin is a waste management solution that strives to support this endeavor.  By rewarding users with T-Cash every time they put plastic garbage in a SMASH bin, the company is increasing the awareness of daily waste management in creative ways. Currently, SMASH is partnering with DANONE to provide 40 waste bin points at different Alfamarts in Jakarta with plans to add more locations as they partner with other eco-conscious companies.

Looking for other ways to say goodbye to plastic in your social media? Use #BhayPlastik and tag @telkomsel on instagram to help spread the awareness on plastic waste. While you’re at it, attend the #BhayPlastik Roadshow on the 24th of February in Pekanbaru and Makassar, and show how creative you can get when plastic is no longer a part of your life.

Deforestation & Poaching
Deforestation accounts for 17% of all global carbon emissions. This comes from forest mismanagement and illegal logging. A San Francisco based engineer, Topher White, found a way to counter this problem.

Imagine having machines listening for the sound of chainsaws and jaguars in rainforests all around the world. Pretty cool? Well, Rainforest Connection is doing that with solar powered, second-hand cellphones set up deep in the rainforests of Amazon, Cameroon, and Sumatra. Started back in 2014, the RFCx Monitoring System allows a real-time response from forest rangers to catch illegal loggers and poachers whenever certain sound is detected on the system.

You too can be a part of the work by downloading the app where you can listen to different rainforest sounds.
   
Pollution
Pollution is a known problem for every big city in the world. In Jakarta alone, the air quality can go from moderate to unhealthy as quick as 6 AM to 2 PM, according to Aqcin real-time monitoring system. Health issues due to poor air quality is no longer a surprise, and we as a community is in dire need of a concrete solution.
   
Currently, BMKG (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi dan Geofisika) is working with the World Air Quality Index Project to monitor air quality and air pollution in some cities in Indonesia. WAQI has 3 monitoring stations set up in Jakarta and in other cities such as Palembang, Indrapuri, Sampit, Pontianak, and more. We hope to see a solution created based on the data in order to keep our air quality healthy.

Taking care of the planet is your and my responsibility. Without the awareness and support of the community, none of these incredible solutions could sustain themselves for the long term. Today, show how much you care by taking part in helping our world be healthier green and blue planet.