Environmental awareness can begin with simple steps at home. This spirit was carried by the Academic and Administrative Staff of the Mathematics Department through a Community Service (PkM) activity in Giritirto Urban Village, Purwosari Subdistrict, Gunungkidul Regency, on Saturday (29/8/2026). Focusing on the theme of waste management, the activity involved the Urban Village officials, Dukuh (hamlet heads), PKK cadres, Karang Taruna (youth organization), and local residents.
The activity began with a welcoming address by the Kami Tuwo of Giritirto Urban Village, Mr. Kamdi, who expressed his appreciation for the implementation of the PkM activity for the second time in Giritirto Urban Village. He expressed his hope that the activity would continue to provide benefits to the community. The enthusiasm to revive waste management initiatives was also conveyed by Sie Danarto, Mr. Sutarman. He explained that Giritirto Urban Village had previously established a Waste Bank called “Sumringah,” but it is currently inactive due to several challenges in its implementation.
The speaker at this PkM activity was Putri Widi Susanti, M.Sc., a volunteer at the Ampel Waste Bank in Condongcatur, Depok, Sleman, as well as an alumna of the Mathematics Department at Universitas Gadjah Mada. Through her presentation entitled “From Home for the Earth: Turning Waste into Benefits,” Putri encouraged the community to begin separating organic and inorganic waste at its source. Drawing on her experience in managing a waste bank, Putri demonstrated that waste does not always have to end up as waste material. Through proper sorting, creativity, and management, waste can be transformed into useful products and can even have economic value.
Participants were also introduced to various examples of crafts made from plastic waste. The participants’ enthusiasm was evident in their active engagement in following the presentation and discussing the potential utilization of plastic waste. This interest raised hopes that the activity could be followed up with practical training, ranging from waste sorting to processing waste into creative products.
Through this activity, the people of Giritirto were encouraged to view waste management not merely as an effort to maintain cleanliness, but also as an opportunity to create benefits and economic value. This PkM activity also serves as a manifestation of the university’s commitment to building closer relationships with the community and encouraging the emergence of sustainable environmental initiatives.
Keywords: Community Service (PkM), Waste Management, Giritirto
Author: Susiana
Photos: Idrap Budiyana