Sepeda Kuning: Universitas Indonesia’s Green Project By: Nurzanty Khadijah1
As one of the best universities in Indonesia, Universitas Indonesia has proved its commitment to environment sustainability. Having city forest for 100 acre and more than five lakes, Universitas Indonesia pursues to be a green campus by implementing several green programs. One of the most well-known is Sepeda Kuning or Yellow Bicycle. Sepeda Kuning is an alternative transportation provided by Universitas Indonesia in order to ease its students for mobilization inside campus area. To support this program, special track for cycling is made aside the road. Prior to the recent program, students used to mobilize by using their personal vehicles or Bis Kuning (Yellow Campus Bus) which both have contributed greatly to air pollution. When this idea first came, many pro and contra appeared. The contra side thought that Sepeda Kuning is just a waste spending since Universitas Indonesia already has Bis Kuning. Meanwhile the pro stated that this idea is truly a breakthrough for the environment sustainability. Beyond the pro and contra, this program has successfully implemented until now. For executing this program well, a system is made. Sepeda kuning is ready stock in Sepeda Kuning stations in every faculties and strategic places. For those who are willing to use Sepeda Kuning, they merely identify themselves as Universitas Indonesia’s students. Then the officer in the station will check and write down the personal data. If they already finish using Sepeda Kuning, they can return it to the nearest Sepeda Kuning station that they could find. So that's easy, right? Nowadays, cycling Sepeda Kuning has been common in Universitas Indonesia. Students are used to use Sepeda Kuning to go anywhere within the campus area. It has changed student’s lifestyle. Indeed, cycling has been a trend now. Besides that, some pretend it as an alternative of 1
Author is a last-year economics student in Universitas Indonesia.
sports. Tight class schedule somehow restricts them to join any particular sport, so Sepeda Kuning is obviously an excellent offering. Moreover, the city forest and lakes make the atmosphere really comfortable to cycle. So students can also relieve from stress by cycling. In brief, Sepeda Kuning works as a green project in Universitas Indonesia. Hopefully it can inspire other universities to implement the same thing as well.