On October 25th, 2024, UI GreenMetric organized an IG Live discussion themed “Cultivating Sustainable Habits for a Greener Future,” featuring sustainability experts from Universitas Indonesia’s Vocational Education Program, Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil, and Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja in Ecuador. The speakers, Deni Daniel Kesa, MBA, Ph.D., Graciela Faico Ferreira, and Dora Collindre, shared their universities’ unique approaches to building sustainable habits and engaging their communities in environmental responsibility.
Deni Daniel Kesa from Universitas Indonesia described UI’s efforts to teach sustainability skills to students and staff through practical and interdisciplinary learning, as well as partnerships with other institutions and government programs. He highlighted UI’s campus green spaces and jogging paths as examples of eco-friendly infrastructure that encourage sustainable behavior among students. The university also partners in projects like large-scale mangrove planting in Jakarta, where students can apply sustainable techniques while supporting local communities, such as helping fishermen use eco-friendly practices to protect marine life. To encourage environmental responsibility, UI rewards those who actively participate in sustainable activities, fostering a culture that values eco-friendly actions and creating a campus environment focused on nature and sustainability.
Graciela Faico Ferreira explained that Universidade Federal Fluminense in Brazil uses a multidisciplinary approach, weaving sustainability themes across different academic fields. She shared how the university’s eco-friendly bus program helps cut down on campus commuting emissions, reducing the campus carbon footprint and making renewable energy a regular part of campus life. Despite challenges like limited budgets and diverse perspectives, these limitations push students and staff to be creative and find unique solutions. Graciela believes that hands-on learning allows students to connect emotionally with sustainability, creating lasting habits and deeper understanding.
Dora Collindres from Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja highlighted the importance of including sustainability in the curriculum through project-based learning. At UTPL, students take on real-world sustainability issues by working with companies that face challenges in sustainable resource management, seeing the impact of their education firsthand. She acknowledged the difficulties in building consistent and long-lasting sustainability habits, so UTPL launched the “Loja Recycling” initiative to promote city-wide recycling and support the circular economy. This initiative not only encourages students to participate in sustainability efforts but also engages the larger community in these efforts, helping create a shared culture of conservation and eco-friendly practices.
Together, these speakers highlighted how universities play a vital role in developing sustainable habits and promoting environmental responsibility. Each university offers different methods to guide students toward making eco-friendly choices. Their experiences demonstrate that with hands-on learning, supportive infrastructure, and community involvement, universities can foster generations who value sustainability and are prepared to tackle global environmental challenges. UI GreenMetric will continue these discussions, inviting more universities to participate and encouraging a collective journey toward a sustainable future. For updates on upcoming IG Live events, follow UI GreenMetric on social media!
Written by Salsabila D. Rahmiziri - Communication Intern
Editor: Riska P. Hariyadi
