Ekonomi Membumi: 3 Simple Ways to Reclaim Local Wisdom in Pursuing a Sustainable (and Regenerative) Future

The word ‘sustainability’ must be very familiar to our ears now. For the past few years, sustainability has been the center of attention. Especially after the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) were transformed into Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it has been a point of discussion among many layers of society, from academic scholars to laymen. However, some discern the declining meaning of sustainability due to the excessive use of the word. Some also claimed that the term sustainability is passive, it yields zero action. An environmental community called Earth Rise even proposed the use of ‘regenerative’ instead of ‘sustainable’. They claimed that regenerative is more relevant to adjusting and implementing our efforts in restoring the environment.

The regenerative economy reckons that the current condition of our environment is severely impacted by man-made disasters. With this situation at hand, we should implement certain actions to restore the ecosystem. While sustainability is trying to build resilience to fit for the future, regeneration is looking to capture the existing problems in the environment and put them back where they belong. Regenerative systems seek to revitalize the existing source of energy and materials. Instead of reducing our carbon footprints through sustainable actions, regenerative measures offer a bold, new way for humans to regularly restore the health of the lands, and the people to improve the environment. 

Both sustainability and regeneration essentially complete each other. Sustainable actions allow us to reduce our negative impact, while regenerative actions enable us to generate more positive impact. Drawing on these insights on sustainable and regenerative actions, Pratisara Bumi Foundation launched the Ekonomi Membumi campaign through the Inkubator Usaha Lestari (INKURI) program. It aspires to transform the Indonesian youth’s mindset from a linear economy to a circular economy where mindfulness towards the planet and the people is of utmost priority in the production and consumption chain. Not only do we encourage youth to curtail their carbon footprint, but we also help them in radiating more goodness to restore the health of the environment and people that surround them. Through the circular economy, we encourage the thinking of: from locals, by locals, and to locals. 

The Ekonomi Membumi campaign also seeks to return to our roots, local wisdom, and generational tradition that have been deeply embedded in our lives. We are guided by three philosophies: to be fair and equal, to preserve and embrace local wisdom, and to respect mother nature. For centuries, our ancestors have been living in harmony with nature - so we can, too! Their everlasting practices in living collectively with the floras and faunas should be our guide to reduce our harmful actions and increase good deeds simultaneously. 

Doing big things to embody Ekonomi Membumi might sound overwhelming. But, we can always start small, even from the tiniest steps. The first step we should take is by looking back to our roots, our ancestors. What did they do? How do they survive? How do they preserve the environment so that we can live (until now)? Upon reflecting on these questions… We summarize 3 best but simple practices from our ancestors that have been done for centuries to protect mother earth.

Use a coconut coir broom or broomstick to sweep the floor

We are confident that most of us have seen our grandparents and parents use coir brooms, palm fiber brooms, or broomsticks to clean the house. However, the current generation often uses brooms made of synthetic palm fiber which is basically plastic. It does not stop there, many brooms’ handles are made of plastic.

The thing is, there are already lots of brooms made of coir and palm fiber with bamboo or wood handles - why choose the synthetic ones with plastic handles? All brooms have the same function anyway: to clean dirt and dust. They are even cheaper than the plastic ones because of their durability.

Broom (doc/Monstera)

However, if you are still using a plastic broom - it is totally okay! Please do not immediately throw it away. Use it until it is worn out, then you can make the swap. But if you are already using a coir broom, palm fiber broom, or broomstick with bamboo or wood handles, keep it going!

Wrap your food with banana/taro leaves or a reusable lunchbox

Have you ever bought lemper, otak-otak, and nagasari? They are examples of Indonesian traditional food that uses banana leaves as a wrapper. In some cities like Surabaya and Madura, banana leaves are even used as a spoon to eat traditional rice pudding (bubur sumsum). Aside from being biodegradable, banana leaves are also cheap and can be easily found around Indonesia. Taro leaves are also commonly used to wrap food since it is water repellent.

Dumpling wrapped in banana leaves (doc/Lan Yao)

Another option is to bring a reusable lunchbox or tumbler whenever you are out. It is a classic practice that has been implemented for decades, if not centuries. For example, the food catering service would use a reusable metal basket to keep the customers’ food. 

However, in the current hyper-consumerism era and growing technology, getting food is easier than ever. There are apps for that and of course, plastics are a critical issue that needs to be tackled immediately. Though there are pre-emptive actions offered, we still need to restore the plastics we have consumed by recycling them as best as we can.

Bring woven shopping bags to the market

This is also a common practice in Indonesia that has been implemented for so long by our great grandparents. Instead of asking for plastic bags after doing grocery shopping, utilize a reusable shopping bag instead. Woven shopping bags made of bamboo are widely available.

Fruits in a woven shopping bag (doc/Sarah Chai)

We can also upcycle the plastic bags we received from the wholesaler and create woven shopping bags. Many local businesses have also turned plastics into pretty and reusable shopping bags.

Aside from the tangible things, there also exists one of the long-established intangible items that has been guiding us as a community - the value of gotong royong (collectivism). The Ekonomi Membumi campaign aspires to reiterate the importance of collective action that encourages the people to experience a sense of collective responsibility in preserving the health of the planet and the people - and hence, the development of the nation.

Pratisara Bumi Foundation is proud to announce that the Ekonomi Membumi campaign is going to scale up nationwide. We will be collaborating with other Indonesian non-governmental organizations such as Angel Investment Network Indonesia (ANGIN), Asosiasi Pengusaha Indonesia (APINDO), ASYX, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Cocoa Sustainability Partnership (CSP), Econusa, Yayasan Inisiatif Dagang Hijau (IDH), Inkubator Usaha Lestari (INKURI), Instellar, Lingkar Temu Kabupaten Lestari (LTKL), PISAgro, Platform Usaha Sosial (PLUS), Supernova Ecosystem, Swadaya, and Tanah Air Lestari. We will form a coalition for the Ekonomi Membumi campaign to escalate our impact on the planet and the people and push toward ESG readiness for MSMEs in Indonesia.