Yogyakarta (17/09) – Following the Waste Reduction Efforts in Food and Beverage Provision at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), the Graduate School (SPs) of UGM has taken concrete steps by implementing a new policy for providing food and drinks during official meetings and internal events. Now, SPs UGM serves healthier snacks, free from cardboard packaging, as well as locally produced drinks by UGM.
This policy aligns with SPs UGM’s commitment to support environmental sustainability and promote healthy lifestyles. The snacks provided are not only packaged in an environmentally friendly manner but are also selected from natural ingredients with minimal preservatives. This effort aims to reduce plastic and cardboard waste, and also supports UGM’s long-standing “go green” campaign.
In addition, SPs UGM maximizes the use of Toyagama, a ready-to-drink water produced by UGM, at every event. Toyagama has become an important part of sustaining water consumption at UGM without relying on single-use packaging. Toyagama is available at every meeting, SPs UGM strengthens efforts to maintain health while also reducing the negative environmental impact.
According to the Dean of SPs UGM, Prof. Ir. Siti Malkhamah, M.Sc., Ph.D., this policy is a tangible step to set an example for the wider community, especially the UGM academic community. It shows healthy lifestyle change can start from the workplace. “We want to reduce the environmental impact caused by single-use packaging while supporting the health of meeting participants by providing high-quality food and beverages,” said Prof. Malkhamah.
The implementation of this new policy, SPs UGM hopes to contribute to environmental sustainability and raise awareness on the importance of healthy living within the campus community. The Dean also hopes this initiative can inspire other institutions to take similar steps in their formal activities.
Author: Arfikah Istari