Indonesia Expat - Issue 152

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EE FR I S S U E N O . 15 2 | 2 1 O C T O B E R – 3 N O V E M B E R 2 0 15

J A K A R TA • J AVA • B A L I • L O M B O K • K A L I M A N TA N • S U M AT R A • S U L A W E S I • W E S T PA P U A

W W W. I N D O N E S I A E X PAT. B I Z

OVER 10,000 VOLUNTEERS CLEAN UP JAKARTA TO RAISE AWARENESS OF LITTERING PROBLEM THE TRUTH BEHIND OXO-DEGRADABLE BAGS UP-CLOSE & PERSONAL WITH MICHAEL FRANTI

ANTIQUES HUNTING IN SURABAYA PRODUCING PALLETS FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC: PT ENVIRO PALLETS

THE GREEN ISSUE

issue 152 Indonesia expat

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Indonesia expat issue 152

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers, Editor in Chief

Angela Richardson angela@indonesiaexpat.biz

Management

Edo Frese edo@indonesiaexpat.biz

Editorial Assistany

Caranissa Djatmiko letters@indonesiaexpat.biz

Sales

Dian Mardianingsih ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

Distribution & Admin

Juni Setiawan admin@indonesiaexpat.biz

Graphics

Frederick Ng

Finance

Lini Verawaty finance@indonesiaexpat.biz

Contributors Annali Hayward Eamonn Sadler Graeme Steel Grace Susetyo Hans Rooseboom Heru Nainggolan Karen Davis Kenneth Yeung Simon Pitchforth

Circulation Enquiries info@indonesiaexpat.biz

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The issue of the environment, especially trash, is one that I’m most passionate about.

For the last three years I’ve been pushing a ball of trash up a hill…

It all started with impromptu beach – and sometimes mountain – clean-ups around Indonesia. A couple of Christmases ago my now husband and I were headed for a diving trip in Raja Ampat, spending a couple of nights in Ambon on the way.

In the morning, we went out and about, exploring the island, and this is when I noticed its main problem: plastic litter, which is strewn along almost every roadside. Our driver recommended we go to the island’s most beautiful white sand beach, Liang Beach, which was indeed stunning, but again, it was covered in plastic garbage – a very sad sight to behold.

So, we did what we do best in this kind of situation, which is ask the local shop sellers to give or sell us as many sacks or cardboard boxes as they could find and start cleaning up. Now, you may think that this is a pointless act, as the rubbish is sure to come back again – but hear me out.

For the first 15 minutes or so, the locals watched us, bemused. Then, the ultimate question “Why are you doing that?” came from one of the local shop sellers.

“Because there’s rubbish everywhere. We have to clean it up,” I answered.

Then, and this happens every time I do a cleanup in Indonesia, the shop seller grabbed a box and joined in.

Our driver, who had told us Ambon had won the cleanest city award in Indonesia and was boasting about how tidy and beautiful the beach was, also joined in. Nearly two hours later, we were all exhausted, the beach had been cleaned, and about four sacks and five boxes of litter had been collected. Our driver was enraged at how much trash there was on the beach and vowed he would write to his local government to demand tougher punishments for littering offenders.

Seeing how someone went from truly believing his home town was clean to being absolutely shocked at how much trash there really was, moved something in me. You feel something when you pick up trash. You feel anger, frustration, disgust, and even pride, and you discover exactly what products and which companies are causing the most garbage.

a yearly event where we try to get as many volunteers as possible to pick up litter while separating recyclables in Jakarta. This year’s event took place just last Sunday, where over 10,000 volunteers showed up to clean at 37 locations around Jakarta at the same time, collecting approximately 100,000kg (100 tonnes) of waste from off the streets. The main aim is to raise awareness about the problem of littering and educate volunteers about the importance of recycling – the fact that we leave the streets that much tidier is a bonus.

This was our third annual event, and the year-on-year growth shows just how much we need to continue pushing that ball of trash up that hill – hope is still here. We also visit a lot of local and international schools in Jakarta to talk to kids about the 3-Rs and how to separate waste at home.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our generous sponsors, The Body Shop, Karcher, Grant Thornton, Coca Cola Amatil, and PT Adaro Energy for helping us to make this massive movement possible. We are also grateful for the support of Dinas Kebersihan DKI Jakarta, Pak Isnawa Adji in particular, and all the other companies, schools and communities who volunteered.

As they say, everything starts with just one step...

My experiences, like the one above, were the inspiration for starting Clean Up Jakarta Day,

Angela Little-Richardson Editor in Chief

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Events

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published by

PT. Koleksi Klasik Indonesia Graha Eka Formula Building 3rd floor, #302 Jl. Bangka Raya No. 2 Kemang, Jakarta T: 021 719 5908 (sales/editorial) 021 719 3409 (admin/finance) F: 021 719 3409 Office hours: 09.00–17.00 Monday–Friday INDONESIA EXPAT IS PUBLISHED BI-WEEKLY BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK

To whom it may concern,

Dear Robert,

I was reading your article on Police corruption. It’s nice to see that this subject is being put out there.

Thank you for writing.

I have a 2006 scooter that I purchased used from a used car dealer in Bandung in 2011. It is a Gilera 200cc originally imported by Vespa Indonesia, completely 100 percent legal with STNK and BBKB.

INDONESIA. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION ARE THOSE OF THE WRITERS AND THE PUBLISHER DOES NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMMISIONS, OR COMPLAINTS ARISING THERE FROM. NO PARTS OF THIS PUBLICATION CAN BE REPRODUCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN PRINT OR ELECTRONICALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER. ALL TRADEMARKS, LOGOS, BRANDS AND

I have been trying since 2011 to renew or get the paperwork moved to Bali. I have used several agents and each of them cannot get it done. The simple reason is that Bandung police say they have lost the original Form A document for the bike. Because the paper is lost, they will not renew or transfer the bike. It’s parked in my garage for over four years and I can’t legally drive it! I was told by the agent that he thinks that the police are selling the documents for other bikes.

That sounds like quite a complicated situation you have there. As automotive legalities are not something either myself or anyone in our team is an expert in, I’d like to reach out to our readers for advice on this matter.

Has anyone experienced the same or similar situation, and what did you do to solve the matter?

We look forward to hearing from you soon so that we can help Robert find a solution to his problem.

DESIGNS ARE COPYRIGHT AND FULLY RESERVED BY PT. KOLEKSI KLASIK INDONESIA.

Best Regards, Robert

The Cover

Clean Up Jakarta Day 2015 volunteers. Photo by Caranissa Djatmoko

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Issue 152

Contents

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Feature Story Clean Up Jakarta Day 2015

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Expat Business

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Featured Facing Desperate Waste Problems, Indonesia Hustles to Find Answers Business Profile PT Enviro Pallets: Producing Durable Pallets from Recycled Plastic Waste Meet the Expat Meet Karin van Horssen and Renate Suurd-Joosink of Ffrash

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Scams in the City The Great Degradable Swindle

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Expat Outreach

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Worthy Causes XS Project: Going Against the Odds to Save Trash Pickers

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Announcements

The Environment Indonesian Communities Awarded United Nations Development Programme Equator Prize

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Expat Lifestyle

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Light Entertainment Proof that Not Refusing to Save the Planet Might Not be a Bad Idea

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Travel Antiques Hunting in Surabaya

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Humorous Observations Trash Talk

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Meet the Expat Meet Michael Franti: Serving the Greater Good

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Events

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Business Directory

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Classifieds

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Food and Drink Farm to Table at Potato Head

Interior Decorating Wheeling & Dealing Second-Hand Furniture

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FEATURE STORY

10,000 Local and International Residents Come Together for a Cleaner Jakarta On Sunday, October 18 2015, Clean Up Jakarta Day was back for its third time to carry out its mission of raising awareness for a cleaner Jakarta.

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pproximately 10,000 volunteers from different nationalities and institutions gathered in the early hours of Sunday morning to take charge of the city by picking up rubbish, raising awareness about littering and educating volunteers about the importance of recycling through the spirit of gotong royong.

This year, clean-up activities took place at 37 sites all over Jakarta, including Taman Fatahillah, Gelora Bung Karno, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Bundaran Hotel Indonesia, Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Jl. Kemang Raya, Jl. Bendungan Hilir, Akbar Mosque Kemayoran, Pantai Indah Kapuk Raya and many other sites in Jakarta, including two in Tangerang.

Volunteers, referred to as ‘Clean-Up Heroes’, gathered at 6.30am at their respective sites for a briefing given by their team leaders. At Gelora Bung Karno, Mr. Edwin Soeryadjaya, renowned businessman and entrepreneur, said a few words to set the eager volunteers in motion.

Volunteers were each given education kits to study before joining the clean-up, educating about recyclable and nonrecyclable garbage, as they had to separate their rubbish as they cleaned. They were also equipped with gloves to protect their hands, reused sugar sacks for collecting rubbish, and their very own Clean Up Jakarta pins. Dressed in white, the ‘heroes’ marched down their designated streets for a two-hour cleaning spree, at the same time encouraging locals to join in and spreading the message of keeping the city clean.

An annual event, Clean Up Jakarta Day serves as a platform for individuals, businesses and communities to join together on one special day to inspire change. Businesses that joined in cleaning up included The Body Shop Indonesia, Jones Lang LaSalle Indonesia, PT Brother International, ATI Business Group, Coca Cola Amatil, PT Adaro Energy and Mitsubishi Corp, to name a few.

Many schools also got their students and teachers involved in the action. Madina Islamic School, Mentari School, Jakarta Intercultural School, Anglo Chinese School, Gandhi Memorial School, SMP Hang Tuah, Labschool Cibubur, Global Jaya and Global Sevilla School had their own clean-up sites. Students from Atma Jaya University also got involved by cleaning up at three separate locations in South Jakarta. Communities cleaning up on the day included Diet Kantong Plastik (Plastic Bag Diet), Indorelawan, Soka Gakkai, Waste4Change and many more.

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With such a varied group of volunteers behind the movement, Clean Up Jakarta spreads the message that it’s everyone’s job to keep the city clean. By involving the community, Clean Up Jakarta Day hopes to make people understand how serious the problem of littering is, especially when oftentimes residents rely on street sweepers and trash pickers (pemulung).

Participating for her third year in a row, Shopha Patil was eager to show her support for local communities joining this year.

Compared to previous years, she noticed that more locals are now joining in the event. “Today I’m seeing a lot of Indonesian friends involved in this, so that helps spread the awareness in the local community.”

After completing the clean-up activities, a Post Event was held at Wisma Menpora near the Gelora Bung Karno complex. Here, volunteers, team leaders and supporters of the event had the chance to share their experiences and reflect on possible ways of solving the problem of trash. Around 600 attendees enjoyed brunch, fun games with prizes and entertainment from Abang None and legendary rock band, Slank. Winners of five Team Award categories were announced, including Most Influential Team, The Weirdest Item Found, Most Extreme Makeover, Best Dressed, and The Largest Team.

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Speaking at the Post Event was Founder of Clean Up Jakarta Day, Angela Richardson, who stressed the pivotal role everyone holds in making a change: “Change belongs to you and me – only we can make a difference, so let’s start by separating our waste at home, contributing towards less waste ending up in landfills.”

Clean Up Jakarta Day had the strong support of the city’s sanitation department, Dinas Kebersihan DKI Jakarta, who were responsible for picking up recyclable and non-recyclable waste from all sites in Jakarta. Bapak Isnawa Adji, head of the department, thanked volunteers for participating. “We would like to thank everyone who supported this event, so that together we can keep the city clean,” he said.

TV Anchor Marisa Anita and actor Mike Lewis joined in as brand ambassadors for their second time. Both ambassadors helped to clean up at Gelora Bung Karno stadium, a site that had been heavily littered by football supporters of the President’s Cup. Anita spoke to television crews about the items in her sack and how they were fit for recycling. “I have plastic bottles, cans and straws in my sack here.

We want people to understand that these items are of value and should be recycled, not left as litter.”

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Clean Up Jakarta Day was brought to you by Indonesia Expat. We would like to thank The Body Shop Indonesia, Kärcher, PT Adaro Energy, Coca Cola Amatil, Grant Thornton, Blue Air and all the supporters and media partners for helping us to realise this event.

For more information, please visit www.cleanupjakartaday.org or e-mail to cleanupjktday@indonesiaexpat.biz

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1. The Body Shop Indonesia Team 2. Kemang Raya Team 3. Mentari School Haji Jian Team 4. Trash collected at Gelora Bung Karno 5. Mr Sandiaga Uno with two professional athletes cleaning up in Gelora Bung Karno 6. Mr Edwin Soeryadjaya giving a speech at Gelora Bung Karno 7. Volunteer inginuity 8. Percussion band from Dinas Kebersihan wowing the audience at the CUJD Post Event 9. Slank performing at the CUJD Post Event

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EXPAT BUSINESS FEATURED

Facing Desperate Waste Problems, Indonesia Hustles to Find Answers

Heru Nainggolan is a Jakarta-based freelance journalist, covering a variety of issues related to politics and environment

The Government says it will improve the garbage bank system in a bid to ease some of the burden from Indonesia’s landfills.

By Heru Nainggolan

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ofia Blake, wife of the US ambassador to Indonesia, has been living in Jakarta for two years. Despite the capital’s notorious image as a city with increasing garbage problems, she can’t help but notice that Jakarta residents have a tendency to clean the streets in front of their stores and homes.

The Government has tried to reduce the nation’s dependency on landfills, which currently makes up 69 percent of the waste management. It says it has tried to educate the public about the concept of the “three Rs” — reduce, reuse, recycle — through the country’s first solid waste management law passed in 2008.

However, there are limitations on what residents can do with the garbage they collect, as there is not yet a centralised recycling system in the country, says Blake on the sidelines of a national seminar on waste management. “It’s just, what do you do with the plastic after it’s been removed [...]?” She asks. “Where do you dump it?

What do you do with it? So I think people have the right intention, but we need to help this on a larger scale. There is not much they can do with it.”

To further promote the concept, the Government implemented the bank sampah (garbage bank) system in 2011 to reduce the volume of waste at the household level. Under the system, residents would save their non-organic rubbish and deposit it. Participants weigh and record their trash deposits, which are later sold to trash collectors every month. The incentive is that money would then be transferred to participants’ bank accounts.

Due to a lack of waste disposal options, Jakartans still heavily rely on transporting waste to the Bantar Gebang waste facility in the neighbouring regency of Bekasi. The dumpsite is the cause of growing concern, and the embodiment of Indonesia’s waste problems. Garbage piles up to form a surreal mountainous landscape where approximately 5,000 pemulung (trashpickers) live and sort through the garbage to salvage recyclables. The landfill has to treat 6,700 tonnes of garbage daily from households, offices, industries, and other commercial entities in and around Jakarta.

The city has long tried to stop its dependency on the landfill, and the scavengers who live in the area. So far, efforts have not been successful. Jakarta’s waste management system is unfit to deal with all the rubbish accummulating at Bantar Gebang’s 111-hectare facility.

However, the problem is not exclusive to the capital. Indonesia’s national waste management system is struggling to keep up with the archipelago’s increasing population. Waste production, with 175,000 tonnes of garbage produced per day in the country, amounts to 64 million tonnes each year.

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The Environment and Forestry Ministry’s director general of dangerous toxic material and waste management, Tuti Hendrawati Mintarsih, tells Indonesia Expat garbage banks now exist in 129 cities.

The number of garbage banks across Indonesia has increased in recent years by some 60 percent from 1,640 to 2,861, she says. They serve 175,413 customers and managing 5,551 tonnes of waste monthly.

The transaction value has also jumped from Rp.15 billion (US$1.08 million) to Rp.34.4 billion ($2.48 million) a month, Mintarsih adds. However, only around 14 percent of Indonesia’s total garbage volume is currently managed or recycled via garbage banks.

As a result, a dedicated online system to coordinate the banks is now in the Government’s pipeline. Officials want to push the project into a full-fledged centralised recycling intelligence platform.

Accessible through Android smartphones, the system would help people deposit their garbage and assist personnel tasked with taking the garbage. The app would be equipped with GPS technology so

organisers could understand where the city’s pain points truly sit in terms of waste management bottlenecks.

Apart from that, the Government also aims to establish parent waste banks in six cities to coordinate all other subordinate banks and waste management services in 2016.

“There are already three businessmen who want to help me in establishing these parent banks. We will build them in Makassar, Jakarta, Surabaya, Semarang, Surakarta, and Medan,” says the ministry’s waste management director, Sudirman.

Ideally, the country should have largescale recycling centres with incinerators to process the garbage collected from the waste banks, explains Mintarsih. Waste collectors, instead, send the garbage to recycling companies. “Actually we have limited budget. We are building small-scale recycling centres for the public, but for large ones, we haven’t been able to,” she adds.

Such a large recycling centre would greatly alleviate Jakarta’s waste burden.

“With thousands of tonnes of waste per day, Jakarta should have a large recycling centre.

Just look at a small country like Singapore which can have six incinerators,” Mintarsih says. “Incinerators use advanced technology and are safe [for the environment].”

Likewise, Sudirman says an incinerator is the best solution for the capital’s growing waste problem. “Clearly Jakartans are not too excited [with the concept of recycling], so the city has to look for new innovations in waste management, one of them being an incinerator,” he explains. “Furthermore, the transportation between Jakarta and Bantar Gebang is difficult [due to traffic] and the conditions of the dumpsite are getting more chaotic.”

Sudirman urges the Jakarta provincial government to build recycling centres, as it now has a robust sanitation budget of Rp.1.9 trillion (US$137 million). He compares Jakarta to Surabaya, Indonesia's second

largest city, which has 25 recycling centres with capacities between 10 to 20 tonnes of waste. Surabaya’s sanitation budget is a fraction of Jakarta’s at Rp.325 billion (US$23.48 million).

“Why is Surabaya prettier and cleaner [than Jakarta]?” Sudirman asks the question rhetorically, hinting corruption is behind the capital’s abysmal waste management.

Jakarta Governor Ahok recently claimed he discovered a budget misappropriation in the province’s Sanitation Agency.

The agency kept renting garbage trucks instead of purchasing them.

“Last year alone, Rp.400 billion [$28.9 million] was spent [to rent the trucks],” he said. With the same amount of money, the agency could have bought hundreds of garbage trucks.

The current head of the Sanitation Agency, Isnawa Adji, who was appointed in July 2015, says he’s been focusing on expanding the number of waste banks in the province.

He also says his organisation is developing intermediate treatment facilities.

“We have around 150 waste banks, ranging in scale from small- to mid-sized. My goal is to have at least 1,000 waste banks, seeing that we have 267 subdistricts in Jakarta,” he tells Indonesia Expat.

Adji claims he asked Governor Ahok to instruct all subdistrict and village heads to build waste banks using their own sanitation budgets. “The budget needed is not expensive. They just need to use [a] composter,” he says.

Adji adds that he planned to use a new business model to handle the capital’s waste. “In the future, waste in commercial districts and trade areas, such as Kuningan and Kelapa Gading, should no longer be handled by the Sanitation Agency. Private companies will work together [...] to transport their waste to Bantar Gebang,” he says.

The Government will start a pilot project with the new model at the end of this year, scheduled to start full operations

by January 2016. “Starting in 2016, I’ll no longer rent private garbage trucks,” Adji says.

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With three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a mezzanine, these three stories homes are wrapped in an organic and contemporary architecture completed with green areas and smart home facilities. Designed to meet the lifestyle of people that are always on and connected, the smart home facility raises the standard of the home utilities within the owner’s full control.

Tucked in the heart of Jakarta’s most coveted area, South Jakarta, Satu Private Residence is located between SCBD and Kemang. As a growing neighborhood, Bangka is distant enough from the hustle and bustle of the city life but barely a car ride away from the CBD. With only 5 minutes away from SCBD, 10 minutes minutes away from Mega Kuningan, 15 minutes away from TB Simatupang and 20 minutes away from Bundaran HI, Satu is only moments from the most desirable places in town; whether you want to discover the metropolitan area or a humble street with a handful of the city’s best retailers and cafes.

Gather around with family and friends at this tranquil haven; wind down in a connecting living room - kitchen area that extends to a garden or pool outdoor, where sunbeam is completely soaked in by the floor to ceiling open doors. At Satu, one can always be in the indoor and or outdoor way of living that Jakarta’s tropical climate allows at anytime.

Come home and be welcomed by the lush vertical garden and serene communal park at the entrance of your contemporary residence. The communal area is perfect for a get-together time with neighbors or family, and even a solitary jog in the morning.

With plenty of air to the center of the structure surrounded by series of 20 tailored independent units, there is well-balance and deep consideration into the profile of the residence architecture.

Satu is meant to be a home that one can flaunt but most importantly where a family can grow. The combination usage of marble and timber materials, sensible lighting that lit up each corner, top-notch appliances by Ariston and bathroom by Kohler and Grohe, Satu was cleverly designed with style and function. It’s immaculate finish and green surroundings invites to a balance of life and enjoyment.

Work, stay and play will take on a whole new dimension at Satu, one can be flexible to different moods; whether it’s for the professional or personal side of the daily life. Live to experience a marriage of great indulgence and intimacy that creates the feeling of ‘I’m home’.

Satu truly is a private residence that redefines the city living.

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EXPAT BUSINESS BUSINESS PROFILE

Producing Durable Pallets from Recycled Plastic Waste Bali (and Indonesia) has received a lot of negative press in recent years with regards to plastic litter. This issue, we meet with PT Enviro Pallets, a manufacturer of nestled pallets made entirely from recycled plastic waste which would otherwise have ended up in landfills. We meet General Manager, Lars Armstrup, to find out more about where the innovative company sources their plastic waste, the manufacturing process, and the their environmentally-conscious values.

Enviro Pallets was founded by Matthew Darby in New Zealand – when and for what reason was the plastic recycling plant opened in Bali?

We started in 2012, moving the equipment across from the previous factory in Christchurch, New Zealand. In visits to Indonesia, Matthew saw a very significant plastic waste issue across the nation, and discussions with the National Investment Agency highlighted the added issues surrounding this in Bali. A strong local desire for solutions to help tackle the plastic waste problem, and to keep Bali Clean, ultimately led to the decision to set up our first Asian factory here.

What excited you about coming onboard?

Having worked for 30 years in logistics and industrial manufacturing in six different Asian countries, I am intimately aware of the challenges around raw-material requirements to keep supply chains moving, specifically the high demand for timber to produce pallets for the movement of finished products.

Global estimates state that more than 40 percent of the world’s sawn timber is used to produce wood pallets. Our unique Thermo Fusion™ technology allows us to use the recycled plastics others do not want, thus benefitting from a low raw-material cost, making our plastic pallets directly competitive with wood pallets, at the same price.

We truly believe we will introduce a real alternative to the use of wood, and the infinite re-use of plastics over and over again. Not only do we use 100 percent recycled plastic, but our products are also themselves 100 percent recyclable, enabling us to use the same plastic raw material multiple times.

Can you give us a brief explanation of the Thermo Fusion™ production process?

We take mixed plastics, shred it and subsequently subject it to heat and pressure, mechanically binding the polymers of the different types of plastics. This results in a malleable plastic substance that under very high pressure is formed into the finished product of a pallet.

There are literally hundreds of different pallet sizes and functionalities in use around the world – our process allows us to produce all of them. Plastic is stronger than wood, and therefore gives a better performance over time compared to wood.

Even though our pallets will eventually break, the difference with wood is that a damaged wooden pallet has very limited use at the end of its short life. Wood pallets are either burnt (for energy), grinded up (for mulching purposes), or in the vast majority of cases disposed of to rot.

Because our process uses 100 percent recycled plastic, we simply take back the damaged pallets, grind them up and run them through our production process again, to be reborn as new pallets.

The uniqueness of our equipment is that we are able to use mixed plastics of all types in one combined process. This is different to what normally happens in the recycling of plastics. Normally, polymers must be segregated, to for example only contain PET or only HDPE, which is then converted to granules and mixed with virgin plastics for injection moulding processes.

How many tonnes of plastic do you process a day?

We just started our second production line, and with that we can now process more than 600 MTS of plastic per month – most of which would have gone to landfills.

How do you collect the plastic waste used to make your pallets?

We work with recyclers in Bali, who supply steady volumes of plastic to us. We have recently established programmes with the Bali Government’s departments of Sanitation, Gardening and the Environment, allowing us to work directly with the island’s nine regencies and their sub-districts. Two of these are now our active suppliers of recycled plastics, and we continue to engage with the remaining, expecting to have covered all during 2016.

Supplies also come from schools and brand retail shops, where we engage with them on campus and in-store to facilitate their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

How much do you pay per kilogram of plastic waste that people bring to you?

First of all, we want clean and dry plastic.

Clean means free from non-plastic material such as cardboard, paper, glass, aluminium foil, etc. We can deal with varying degrees of these in the process, but we run the most efficient when these are not present. But for the plastic types themselves we do not distinguish between the different kinds of polymers, as we readily mix them all together in our process.

Our pricing starts at Rp.1,200 per kg of plastic and increases with the cleanliness and dryness of plastic that we receive.

Being willing to pay for something that people normally throw away is having a positive impact in the communities that we work with.

Besides the fact that they’re created from plastic waste, what else makes your pallets special?

Please tell us about your expansion plans, especially to Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta.

We have significant ambitions both on a national and global basis. We do expect to expand into Java and beyond in the very near future.

Bye Bye Plastic Bags have been given a MoU by the provincial government in Bali to stop giving away free plastic bags in 2016 and ban plastic bags altogether by 2018. How will this affect production at your plant?

Melati and Isabel, who founded Bye Bye Plastic Bags, are such an inspiration – amazing girls. I met with them recently and banning plastic bags is definitely the way to go. I believe other cities around Indonesia are working on similar schemes.

Unfortunately, the global production of plastic continues to rise at about four percent annually, and the sad fact is that even if all plastic bags were banned, it would still only make a small reduction in the total plastic output. There is so much new plastic being made every day.

BUSINESS SNIPPETS

ASEAN Countries Adopt Renewable Energy Target Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have taken a collective decision to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s fuel mix.

Energy ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have announced the adoption of a target to increase the share of renewable energy in the regional fuel mix to 23 percent by 2020.

The decision was taken during the 33rd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting on 7 October 2015.

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By Clean Tecnica | Written by Smiti Mittal

The member states have also adopted a target to reduce the region’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over a period of 10 years.

ASEAN member states include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Late last month, the Global Atlas for Renewable Energy was introduced

Not only do we use 100 percent recycled plastic, but our products are also themselves 100 percent recyclable, enabling us to use the same plastic raw material multiple times.

We cannot function as a world without plastic, but through what we do, we believe we help to move us to a point of ‘no new plastic being put into the world’, as we can infinitely recycle the same plastics again and again, even though they are all mixed.

As the General Manager of a business that actively contributes towards a cleaner world, you must be extremely passionate about what you do. What work ethics that you hold dear to your heart would you like to see other business owners embody?

I love what we do. Few people are given the opportunity to head up an enterprise that truly holds the potential to change a segment of the world, and in this respect our team and I are very fortunate. I am

not sure that I am necessarily any different from other business leaders, however I am fuelled by passion – because I believe that is the only way to achieve excellence.

My work ethics are a real sense of purpose, strong determination and focus, which allow you to work through the unavoidable challenges and road blocks that are always present in business. Ultimately though, ‘Deliver The Promise’. What we promise to our customers, all my colleagues, our suppliers and communities is vital, as that is the only way in which we can achieve long-term sustainability both on the environmental front and for ourselves as a business.

Thank you, Lars. To get in touch, e-mail: marketing@enviropallets.com

specifically for six of the 10 member countries. The Atlas was developed by Asian and Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of the United Nations’ Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap), and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The Atlas would provide governments and prospective project developers with data, technical and financial support for the evaluation of renewable energy potential.

of renewable energy infrastructure.

Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Philippines have substantial regulatory support for renewable energy projects and are also working to rapidly expand the installed capacity. Thailand and Philippines are already popular investment destinations for foreign investors in the solar power sector. Indonesia is also looking to develop several renewable energy technologies through international cooperation, including geothermal energy.

The larger members of the regional group are poised to take lead in the development

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EXPAT BUSINESS MEET THE EXPAT

Ffrash produces high-quality, sustainable design furniture and home interior products from trash, giving former street children a chance at a better life. Their values? 100 percent trash, 100 percent sustainable, 100 percent design and 100 percent not-for-profit. We meet the two ladies in charge to find out more.

Karin van Horssen

Meet Karin van Horssen and Renate Suurd-Joossink

Then Trash Became Ffrash

By Angela Richardson

Renate Suurd-Joosink

Let’s start with a bit of background information about you both. What are your professional backgrounds and what brought you to designing interior products out of trash in Bekasi?

Renate: I came to Jakarta in 2013, having worked for more than 15 years for Wegter Consumenten BV in the Netherlands, where I developed concepts for kitchen and tableware in many different styles.

Accompanying my husband to Indonesia, Ffrash was the logical step to share my professional experience and contribute to this great opportunity. Jakarta, with its more than sufficient amount of trash and high number of street youths, needs awareness and support. Giving former street youth a second chance by providing them shelter, training, work experience in combination with sustainable design products from trash, is the perfect way for me to support the Indonesian society.

Karin: After having different marketing jobs in the Netherlands, I decided to start my own business in 2008. By creating clothes for women and girls, I combined creativity and entrepreneurship. My husband’s work brought me and my family to Indonesia in 2013. When I first saw the design products of Ffrash and heard the story behind the project, I was really impressed. So, when I had the opportunity to join this beautiful project, I didn’t hesitate. With Ffrash, again, I can combine creativity and entrepreneurship, but more important: give the former street children of Jakarta a second chance.

Where do you source your recyclable items from?

The wine bottles are generally given to us by friends and we work with some restaurants to acquire their used wine bottles, too.

We are always in need of wine and glass water bottles. The table vases are made from fishing boat bulbs, which were once thrown overboard when broken. We buy the majority of our other materials directly from the trash pickers.

I actually own one of your vases made out of a fishing boat’s light bulb. Where did you get your inspiration for this unique design?

The vase was designed by the Dutch designers Guido Ooms and Karin van Lieshout. They travelled to Indonesia several times to visit trash dumps in search of the right materials. After having designed the Ffrah collection, they trained the team on how to handle the tools and machines and the various aspects of product design.

What creative designs are you working on now?

At the moment we are working with Indonesian designers, Karsa, and we are looking for new designers who can develop and add a new Ffrash collection.

Tell us about the children that you work with and train as artisans. These children used to live on the streets before becoming a part of Yayasan Kampus Diakonia Modern (KDM) and entering into your programme.

What positive developments have you noticed in their characters from being a part of Ffrash?

Ffrash works closely with KDM, a local foundation that offers shelter to former street children. Ffrash believes that every child deserves the right to a sustainable future in a clean environment. With this vision, we created an opportunity for the street children to become skilled workers who can turn trash in beautiful design products. Ffrash provides the former street children aged 16 to 19 years, 18 months training, but also endows these youth with knowledge and skills to start their own companies.

At Ffrash, they learn how to use and develop their skills in different ways. They work in the Ffrash workshop from Monday till Friday. Further, we offer them schooling – English courses and safety training. We notice that some children are becoming more responsible and more self-confident.

Ffrash went in search of new applications for reusing trash to provide more benefits to the less fortunate youths around Jakarta, while also reducing the energy required for recycling.

Do your artisans get paid for their work?

How do you ensure your work with the children is sustainable?

The artisans receive pocket money for their work. There are three key factors – economic growth, environmental issues, and poverty – that must be addressed in order for sustainable development to take place. Poverty in particular often prevents sustainable use of natural resources, and so it must be handled intelligently to reverse the trend. By integrating environmental conservation on one hand and economic development on the other, sustainable 12

Indonesia expat issue 152

development can be achieved. In other words, sustainability requires a balance between ecological, economic, and social considerations.

Ffrash went in search of new applications for reusing trash to provide more benefits to the less fortunate youths around Jakarta, while also reducing the energy required for recycling. In this way, Ffrash contributes to sustainable development by creating a better balance between consumption and conservation. It is a fact that the processing of wood, whether for the purpose of furniture-making or wood crafting, is part of the Indonesian culture and tradition.

Ffrash does not chop down more trees to make its furniture and interior design products. Instead, Ffrash makes furniture and other products by re-using trash, thus showing people that you can create new products without using wood as a raw material.

Additionally, ‘upcycling’ offers a solution to the problems around waste processing in Indonesia. And lastly, by training youths in furniture-making, Ffrash empowers them to succeed in society. Vocational training and professional coaching support the street children to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty. The children learn to create a better future for themselves in an environmentally sustainable manner, while learning a trade and entrepreneurial skills.

What is the most moving experience you’ve had while working at Ffrash?

The whole experience has been moving.

There are success stories, but sometimes also some sad stories. It has its ups and downs. That’s how it goes in real life…

Are there any challenges that you face working with ex-street children?

It’s obvious that their background is totally different from ours. Sometimes it is difficult to empathise. For us it’s important to keep in mind that their backgrounds are different and to react the right way.

From your work in this industry, how have you found the Indonesian mentality towards rubbish?

There is a still a lot of work to do in Indonesia. It’s going slowly, step by step.

This will take years after years to change.

We have just started to notice the presence of more public rubbish bins around Jakarta, encouraging people to separate and dispose of their rubbish more thoughtfully.

What can we expect to see from Ffrash in the near future?

We want to make a beautiful high design interior collection which is much more expanded. We also want to generate more selling points. On the other hand, we will try to help the former street youth as much as we can, giving them a second chance and a better future. All profits are divided between the children and the running of the workshop. We invest in their further development and training to give them a second chance.

Thank you! To get in touch, please e-mail: renate.joossink@gmail.com

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

FOOD & DRINK Annali Hayward is an expert eater, decisive drinker, fumbling fashionista and tasteful traveller, who writes to savour it all – preferably at once. E-mail her at annali.s.hayward@gmail.com

FARM TO

TABLE at POTATO HEAD

By Annali Hayward

Deep in darkest SCBD, like its namesake, a restaurant group grows in the city’s cupboard, sprouting offshoots of its particular brand of culinary creativity. Annali Hayward visited Potato Head to sample their ‘Farm To Table’ offering: can locally-sourced, socially- and ecologically-conscious fare be had in the Big Durian? And more importantly, does it taste good?

constructed menu, but a kitchen that can pull it off. The meat was tender and the skin was neatly scored, basted with sesame seeds and chilli flakes, giving this French classic a welcome Asian twist. Underneath were some wilted red leaves, roasted vegetables, and a sweet red wine sauce. Again, this doesn’t sound like it should work, but it did.

Say ‘Potato Head’ to a group of expats in Indonesia and the responses fall into two camps. There are those who think you have lost your marbles and started babbling about classic children’s toys. Leave them in their ignorant bliss, and join the other tribe: those who know you are referring to one of the hippest – albeit curiously named – restaurant groups in the archipelago.

The Potato Head ‘Family’, as they like to be known, has five establishments and counting. Potato Head was the first, followed by Potato Head Garage (the club round the corner), and the famed Potato Head Beach Club in Bali. Three Buns, a casual burger joint, opened in Senopati earlier this year, and there’s Potato Head Folk in Singapore. Numerous projects are in the works – no couch potatoes in this family!

Chef Haruhisa Noguchi, from Japan, joined Potato Head in 2013, four years after its opening. With him he brought a passion for locally- and ethically-sourced food, having worked briefly under JeanGeorges Vongerichten, an originator of the movement in New York. The idea is to use as many local ingredients as possible, making things in-house and sourcing from responsible, sustainable providers.

Noguchi-san estimates 75 percent of his menu fits this description. It’s a tough job – he battles the same import, quality and logistical difficulties as all chefs in Jakarta, with the additional challenge of using as many organic, non-GMO products as he can. All this before he even cooks anything.

It was a delight, therefore, to find the starters were a vegetarian’s dream – and for a committed carnivore such as myself; just as good. The Chargrilled Vegetable Salad (Rp.95,000) was a beautiful

“The cheese is made in Bintaro, with goat’s milk from West Java – and it would fool any fromage fiend into thinking it was France’s finest.”

Chef Haruhisa Noguchi

bounty of colourful baby veggies, cooked to perfection, finished on the grill and drenched in a tangy ‘Balinese’ tamarind dressing. The courgettes and beetroot were particularly soft, and it was refreshing to find a healthy salad that was also moreish.

Rosalie Goat’s Cheese Salad (Rp.110,000) was a smaller portion, with three crostini atop an unusual salad: mesclun adorned with homemade granola, chargrilled starfruit and a lemony dressing. It crossed my mind that I might like to have more than three bites of cheesy goodness, but strangely enough this salad, though it sounds odd on paper, tasted so good I forgot all about that. The starfruit contrasted really well with the cheese and the honeyed dried fruit, and as a whole the dish is also very nutritious.

The icing on the cake is that the cheese is made in Bintaro, with goat’s milk from West Java – and it would fool any fromage fiend into thinking it was France’s finest.

Knocking the spots off the salad in the nutrition stakes was the main course pasta, Kale and Tomato Spaghetti (Rp.120,000).

Kale, most beloved of hipster, yoga-pantswearing vegetables, can be vile in the wrong hands. Noguchi-san’s is a light touch – it wasn’t overcooked (blech) or undercooked (worse), and crucially it complemented the home-made ricotta cheese and tomato-garlic sauce perfectly. This was another dish where the absence of meat is inconsequential. The crowning glory was the hint of chilli flakes in the sauce: subtle, but so necessary.

For meaty mains, look no further than Pan-Fried Duck Breast (Rp.260,000) from Banten. Here it became obvious that not only is this a carefully considered, well-

To highlight their successful weekend offering, Noguchi-san sent out a brunch dish: Greek yoghurt rice pudding with a mango-passion fruit sauce, topped with local cashews. On the side were some interesting superfoods: cardamom- and star anise-spiced red quinoa, and coconut water chia seeds. This was healthiness on a plate, and a great alternative to waffles on a Saturday.

For dessert, the decadent Chocolate Ganache (Rp.95,000) uses the finest cocoa from Tabanan, Bali. It was great to see the kitchen being brave with the bitterness of the chocolate, allowing it to really highlight the quality of the source. Sweetness came via the vanilla ice cream served on top.

Chief mixologist Julian knocked up a ‘Sweet Merah’, a funky, unusual cocktail of beetroot, Balinese arak and triple sec – it was refreshing and inventive, and no doubt more of this creativity will come out of Potato Head’s bars in future. Wines by the glass are not bad, and the coffee is very good.

Potato Head already has a fan base amongst SCBD’s office crowd, and the new ‘Farm to Table’ menu seems to be expanding on that: the whimsical, industrial-chic space was packed with happy diners chowing down.

Clearly, they’re part of the group who have discovered this is legitimately Jakarta’s foremost ‘Farm to Table’ offering: local, responsible, green – but also, delicious.

Potato Head Pacific Place Mall G51A, SCBD, Jl. Jend. Sudirman, Kav. 52- 53, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia 12190 +62 (0) 21 5797 3322 | www.pttfamily.com

From top to bottom: Kale and Tomato Spaghetti | Beetroot & Prosciutto Salad | Grilled Barramundi | Ricotta Salad | Bali Chocolate Ganache

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

TRAVEL Graeme has been writing on Indonesian travel destinations for 25 years including for the Rough Guide to Indonesia. He believes East Java and Madura have much to offer the visitor. Contact him at graeme@authenticjavatours.com

Antiques Hunting in Surabaya East Java resident, Graeme Steel, takes us shopping for antiques in Indonesia’s second largest city, and reveals where to search for its hidden trinkets.

By Graeme Steel

renovated. A beautiful roll-top mahogany desk, with a spot or two of old writing ink on its surface suggesting its authenticity, is being rubbed back to remove a coat of cheap varnish which has been added in an error of judgment by some more recent owner. The beautiful grain is once more seeing the light of day. A fine wooden settee with a carved back is having its slightly battered edges smoothed with a primitive tool, which is nothing more than a shard of glass, but in the skilled hand of the carpenter is bringing back fine form to its lines.

Java Sea Madura

Surabaya Banyuwangi

Bali

Surabaya Province: East Java Population: 2.765 million (2010) Area: 374.8 km² How to get there There are many flights to Surabaya throughout Indonesia and other cities of Southeast Asia. Take a taxi from the Surabaya airport to these destinations (about 60 minutes of travelling time): Kampung Madura, Jl. Gubeng Jaya II, off Jl. Kertajaya | Jl.Padmo Sustrato, off Jl. Mayjen Sungkono | Jl. Bodri, alongside Gelora Pancasila

I

ndonesia has long been a source of antiques and reproductions. As it becomes harder to find genuine Dutch period furniture, skilled craftsmen are filling the void by producing really quite remarkable copies. Prices in Surabaya tend to be cheaper than in the capital.

With a number of shops about the city, you’ll find genuine antiques here and some reproductions masquerading as the real thing. But shops near the centre of Surabaya’s CBD, and where expats live, are expensive.

For the adventurous bargain hunter, you’ll discover a secret source of antiques and reproductions in Kampung Madura, a densely populated area hemmed in by the main roads. This friendly, relaxed inner-city village can be a fun and rewarding place to buy.

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Indonesia expat issue 152

For the adventurous bargain hunter you’ll find a secret source of antiques and reproductions in Kampung Madura, a densely populated area hemmed in by the main roads.

The streets are narrow, but spotlessly clean. Here, several ‘shops’ sprawl their merchandise over the pavements. There is just sufficient room to park a car.

One shop offers enormous woodcarvings taken from the traditional houses of Kudus on Java’s northern coast. These panels are intricately carved and show both oriental and European influence. The owner of the store says that his foreign customers buy these as room dividers or even incorporate them into the entrances of new houses.

Further up the street, a shop displays smaller wares – planter’s chairs and marbletopped tables. Scattered about the furniture are many colonial period ornaments, beautiful Chinese vases, striking wayang masks and antique Bakelite telephones.

I was reassured by several vendors that purchases can be shipped anywhere in the world.

Struggling to get by the jumble of furniture, I make for a shop on the opposite side of the gang, or lane. A shop of the smallest size, I see here a number of tables and desks being

Further up the lane is the mother of these little vendors. This shop was the first to open here in the early ‘70s and has the largest premises and stock. To call it an emporium is not to exaggerate. Like the other shops, it is a residence too, and I tread rather embarrassed through the rooms, which aside from the antiques may also be home to a sleeping member of the owner’s extended family.

From top to bottom, the shop is groaning under the weight of its contents. Dozens of Dutch lamps hang from the ceiling, intermingled with superb glass lamps of cobalt blue, deep red and green. The floor space is awash with circular pastry cabinets and Madurese inlayed and carved chests.

The owner tells me with the genuine antique sources are fast running out; much of his reproduction furniture is made from reworked old hardwoods. This would account for the aged appearance of much of what I see, fooling anything but the trained eye. He claims to still have a supply of the genuine – there are always old family pieces coming on to the market from those hard up and selling off the family heirlooms, or from the younger generations who would prefer something more modern.

On the second floor, a staggering array of smaller pieces are displayed. I discover a horn gramophone complete with a selection of 78s, a trophy of colonial-era deer hunts, and a collection of Javanese dance masks with their stylized faces among the items.

A wall displays 20 or so 19th-century plates, most of which are from Maastricht in Holland; a few have an Indies theme.

Another interesting area to explore is along Jalan Padmo Susatro and Jalan Bodri, which it leads into. About 10 roadside stores overflowing onto the sidewalk sell a fabulous array of goods – Dutch era antiques ranging from gramophones, radios, nautical instruments, silver cutlery, brassware and crystal. Vendors seem keen to bargain and seldom let you walk away without trying to clinch a deal.

Surabaya provides an excellent opportunity to find interesting, unique items at prices that are still affordable.

EXPAT LIFESTYLE

MEET THE EXPAT

Meet Michael Franti

Serving the Greater Good Michael Franti is an internationally-acclaimed musician and lead vocalist of Michael Franti and Spearhead, who is also a global activist for social justice and spiritual consciousness through music and dance. We meet Michael and his new bride Sara Agah Franti, to discuss how they spread the love through their NGO ‘Do It For The Love’.

By Karen Davis

You are one of Bali’s favourite sons. Tell us your Bali story.

Michael: I started coming to Bali in 2007 and fell in love with the culture, artistry, and nature.

I knew from the moment I arrived it would be a place I’d return to for the rest of my life. Bali is a place which spawns my creativity and makes me want to give back to the local community and to Indonesia; the nation that has given me so much joy and inspiration. Since 2007 we have thrown fundraising events for Bumi Sehat Natural Birthing Clinics and since 2013 we have helped support The Green School, a school dedicated to educating the next generation of environmental leaders. We also staged the Soulshine Bali Festival, music, yoga, sustainability, arts, and culture building event bringing together both international and Indonesian artists.

What is SoulShine, Bali?

Michael: Soulshine Bali is a hotel and yoga retreat oasis just outside of Ubud that I co-founded in 2011. Our intention was to create a place of happiness; where people from all over the world can come to re-charge, relax, and get back to being their authentic selves. It is a place where life-changing events happen and where lifelong friendships are born. We believe in the practice of play as a pathway to new inspiration and we encourage people to explore the cultural and natural magic of Bali, while letting their souls soar in the sun. At Soulshine Bali we are a family and we want people to feel that welcome when they arrive. We have teachers from all over the world put on retreats with us throughout the year. We want people to leave feeling refreshed and ready to live and love life to the fullest.

Sara: It is really incredible to meet all the different people who come and spend time at Soulshine Bali and to see the growth, transformation and fun they have!

Tell me all about your wedding.

Sara: Our wedding was magical! Everyone told us how quickly this experience passes by, so we were very mindful and conscious about connecting to each moment. The day of our wedding started with a yoga class to set the intention of love, unity and family for the day. At the end of the class our friend Ryan Leier, who led the class, had everyone sit in a giant circle. We had our arms around each other and we were all singing to John Lennon’s Imagine. It was a powerful moment.

Michael: One of my favourite moments was watching Sara walk down the aisle. Because we are always travelling it was really special to have all our friends and family all in one place to celebrate with us. The whole wedding weekend was an intimate, emotional, full of love, wild party!

Sara, as an emergency room nurse, you’ve helped people live, and die. Do you believe in miracles?

I believe that working as a registered nurse is a great privilege. You are given the responsibility to help someone heal from trauma, welcome their birth and sometimes transition from this life. I do believe in miracles, but I don’t think those miracles always come in forms we might want or expect. It could be an event, a feeling, or a shift in perspective. It is about living your most authentic life so you can be open to those ‘miraculous’ experiences, whatever they might be.

I will continue to work as a nurse, and I don’t ever see myself leaving the healthcare profession. It is a world I love and have a lot of passion for. I am currently working on my Masters in Public Health.

I hope to be more involved in policies which can help empower communities to reach high standards of health and wellbeing.

How did ‘Do It For The Love’ manifest?

Sara: In April 2013, Steve and Hope Dezember reached out to Michael and explained that Steve had a wish to see Michael Franti and Spearhead in concert. Steve is living with advanced stages of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). During the show Michael invited the couple to join him and the band on stage. Although Steve is now wheelchair bound and with little mobility, he asked Hope

to lift him out of his chair. They danced in each other’s arms in front of the over 20,000 music fans. There was not a dry eye in the house, and that included me! We went home that night and decided we wanted to create the same experience for as many people as possible. We wanted to keep giving that gift of live music to inspire joy and healing and to help families create these lasting memories.

With my experience in health and healing, and Michael’s experience in music we founded the Do It For The Love Foundation in 2013. It is now a non-profit network of musicians, health workers, concert promoters, and music venues dedicated to giving the gift of live concerts to wounded veterans, children with severe challenges, and people living with life-threatening illnesses. Through concerts and one-on-one meet and greets with their favourite artists, Do It For The Love offers fans and their caregivers an opportunity to laugh and dance, to sing and celebrate, and to break away from everyday hardships, and to create vivid memories.

We have had the opportunity to grant wishes all over the world, including Bali!

To nominate yourself or someone you know who might need the healing power of music, visit www. doitforthelove.org. You may also volunteer or donate by visiting this website.

When are you coming home to Bali?

Michael: Bali is our second home and we never miss an opportunity to return. We plan to be back for the New Year’s holidays, so keep an eye out and be sure to say hello if you see Sara and I! Be your best, serve the greater good. Rock out wherever you are!

Thank you Michael Franti and Sara Agah Franti!

Contact: www.doitforthelove.org

“Bali is a place which spawns my creativity and makes me want to give back to the local community and to Indonesia; the nation that has given me so much joy and inspiration.”

Karen Davis is a NYC artist and writer

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EXPAT LIFESTYLE

INTERIOR DECORATING

W

e have all heard the 3-R mantra before, especially in the context of waste.

And many a time we have been asked to promote or assist in the propagation of the 3-Rs by promoting composting of organic waste and separating glass, metals (aluminium cans) and plastics. The Jakarta administration has even installed wee little orange and blue containers on the side of many roads in an effort to provide the physical facilities to sort and dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way. Unfortunately, the receptacles remain empty, while their lids have been nicked, probably to be recycled.

There is also another 3-R activity, often overlooked, but not less important to prevent waste of potentially useful materials and to reduce energy usage: extending the useful life of consumer products. Reusing white goods such as refrigerators and washing machines, furniture, sports equipment, electronics, chairs, tables, sofas, cupboards, beds, and not to forget clothing, could make a considerable difference to the protection of the environment.

In Western Europe and North America, the turnover of household goods is amazingly high. Not because they are no longer

Wheeling & Dealing Second-Hand Furniture

By Hans Rooseboom

REDUCE the consumption of fresh raw materials REUSE anything that is not terminally damaged RECYCLE waste materials into new products

Hans Rooseboom is a long term resident of Jakarta. He now enjoys a leisurely life, playing tennis most mornings and writing his blogs and other articles.

useable, but more because the owners have grown bored looking at them, and now opt for a different colour. And the old goods consequently are left at special dumpsites, or are donated to a second-hand where they are sold, or if necessary, repaired and refurbished before selling. Goods left at the special dumpsite are free to be taken by anyone. The refuse collectors will usually have first choice and remove the best items before the amateurs arrive on the scene.

Expatriates, especially the globetrotting types who are sent every few years to a new country and another assignment, often have some articles too cumbersome to carry along to the new location. Upon leaving, these goods are, more often than not, given to the household staff as a bonus. Maids, nannies and drivers are, however, not fully accustomed to handling a second-hand wardrobe or desk chair, and would rather see money as a farewell gift.

Departing expats could, of course, make use of the many websites where sellers and buyers of used furniture, electronics, white goods, golf clubs, clothing and the like, can meet. Some of the websites are listed below.

The drawback of this way of selling surplus articles is that it might be a lengthy process.

In Jakarta there is a third way of disposing of surplus goods before moving. It is the second-hand goods shop called Toko Chris Angel and is operated by a girl with a very friendly smile called Christi. She speaks English very well and will come and assess the goods, and purchase them if a price can be agreed upon. She has been in this business since 2010 when she joined her mother, Jaqueline, who started the business ten years earlier.

When asked about the changes that occurred during these 15 years, Christi stated that then, there were four outfits buying second-hand goods from expatriates, and almost exclusively selling to Indonesian customers. Now there remain two only. The reason is the shift from a house and garden arrangement to apartments, which are generally rented fully furnished. Fridges and ovens, for instance, are no longer put up for sale.

And similarly, complete sets of household furnishings – for sleeping, dining, living, studying – are not on offer anymore. The occasional bed and table can still be found, but the volume has decreased.

Websites offering second-hand articles for sale www.bekas.com www.elvenia.com www.tokopedia.com www.olx.co.id

Toko Chris Angel Bintaro, Pondok Betung, Gg. Mandor Kecil, West Jakarta Phone: +62 (0) 81 3193 42224

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Strangely enough, although Toko Chris Angel was started shortly after the financial crisis of 1998, the increase in economic welfare levels has not been accompanied by an increase in the quality of the goods demanded. Prices have thus remained stagnant. Christi does, however, strive to maintain optimum quality and looks for goods that are not less than 80 percent of their new condition. In case minor repairs are needed, she can arrange for that to be carried out.

According to her, Indonesian customers do not care about the brands of used articles, and do not even mind minor damages.

But, second-hand is second-hand, and therefore, whatever the brand or condition, it does not merit more than a price of between 25-50 percent of their new value.

This is something to keep in mind when negotiating a price for the articles you want to sell. It is thus not surprising that Christi's margins are paper-thin.

Christi buys a wide range of goods, especially furniture, electrical and electronic articles, clothes, shoes, hand bags, watches, sports and fitness articles.

So, rather than trying the Internet auctions, or burdening your household staff with a dining table and six chairs, the easier option would be to sell to Toko Chris Angel and give the money to the staff.

She has managed to build up a core customer basis, from whom she buys in the city's Japanese community. Among Jakarta's providers of goods and services, it is a well-known fact that, to attract the highly quality-conscious Japanese customers, the best promotion is by word of mouth.

The very large share of Japanese among her customers is thus an indication of the quality of the service provided by Christi.

The goods Christi buys are sold from her shop in Bintaro. Not an overwhelmingly expatriate residential area, and neither easily accessible.

A visit could be worthwhile. Clothes, for example, are branded and in very good condition. Any garment that does not satisfy Christi's high quality standards is donated to charities. The wardrobe or other items you need for your Jakarta period is possibly on offer in the shop. Check it out and happy hunting!

Kenneth Yeung is a Jakarta-based editor

The Great Degradable Swindle Consumers in Indonesia will have noticed that plastic bags from leading chains of convenience stores and supermarkets are now labelled ‘green’ and ‘degradable’. But are these plastic bags really good for the environment?

By Kenneth Yeung

The short answer is no.

over a couple of years. Depending on which organisation’s scientific research you read, these fragments may or may not have a harmful impact. Oxo-degradable plastics are not suitable for recycling with mainstream plastics, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) water bottles, as the oxo-degradable additives make any new product more susceptible to degradation.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as an environmentally friendly bag. The fact that degradable plastic bags eventually disintegrate does not make them good for the environment. All they do is produce microscopic fragments of plastic, which do not get broken down by biological activity but instead have the potential to end up in the human food chain.

The market leader in Indonesia for oxodegradable bags is PT Tirta Marta, which makes Oxium brand bags, which are what you receive at Alfamart, Indomaret, Hero and many other chain stores. Although the bags feature text stating “degradable within two years”, the process may take longer under certain conditions. Oxo-degradable bags cannot be composted because they require sunlight and air to break down, which means they will not disintegrate in buried landfill.

But what about those cool reusable ‘green bags’ used in some countries? And what about fashionable shopping bags made from jute, cotton or hemp? All of these ‘alternative’ bags have an environmental impact. The production of cotton, hemp and jute is resource-intensive, requiring much more energy and resources to produce than common plastic bags.

As for the ‘green bags’, so popular in Australia, they are made from non-woven polypropylene, a non-biodegradable byproduct of oil refining. They have to be sent to China for recycling because it is too expensive to unpick their stitching in the West.

If you genuinely care about the planet and want to reduce pollution, you should bring your own reusable bags to the shops.

And re-use them hundreds of times over many years until they wear out. If you are too lazy or too embarrassed to bring such bags, then you cannot claim to care for the environment – no matter how many ‘save the orangutan’ or ‘stop illegal logging and forest fires’ campaign images you share on Facebook.

“But I re-use plastic bags as bin liners,” you might argue. That’s great. You should still take reusable bags to the shops. Otherwise you may accumulate hundreds of old plastic bags that eventually start disintegrating and have to be dumped. Many plastic bags end up in waterways, long before they have a chance to fragment, blocking drains and contributing to flooding.

Indonesia is the second-biggest contributor of plastic waste being dumped in the seas, accounting for up to 1.29 million metric tonnes of plastic trash annually, according to the results of a study released this year by the Science journal. Only China dumps more trash into the sea. Larger pieces of plastic can kill marine creatures, while miniscule fragments can enter the food chain.

Sadly, littering seems to be a way of life in Indonesia. Where are the televised public service announcements, showing politicians or celebrities decrying littering?

There is one. Politically conscious rock

All they do is produce microscopic fragments of plastic, which do not get broken down by biological activity but instead have the potential to end up in the human food chain. band Slank in 2013 was recruited by the Jakarta administration to join an antilittering campaign, coinciding with the introduction of a Rp.500,000 fine for littering and fines of up to Rp.25 million for shopping centres that fail to use environmentally friendly bags.

While almost no one gets fined for littering, retailers are providing plastic bags perceived as being good for the environment. There is no international standards system for retail plastic bags.

Some countries and states have banned plastic bags. The US state of California in 2008 banned the labelling of plastic bags as ‘biodegradable’, ‘degradable’ or ‘decomposable’ because such terms are misleading to consumers.

Degradable Versus Biodegradable

At this point, we should look at the difference between degradable and biodegradable. Degradable means that something can be biologically or chemically broken down into smaller pieces. So

pretty much everything on the planet is degradable. Some plastics contain additives of certain metal compounds to make them break down faster by oxidation. These are called oxo-degradable plastics. Then there are photodegradable plastics, which contain an additive that absorbs light and accelerates their fragmentation.

Biodegradable means that something can be broken down by micro-organisms.

Biodegradable plastic decomposes by the action of bacteria, so that its carbon atoms are broken apart and can be used to create other organic molecules. There are two types of biodegradable plastics: those made from renewable raw materials, such as starch (from corn, potatoes, wheat, tapioca and sago); and those made from petrochemicals mixed with biodegradable additives.

In Indonesia, officials and big-name retailers are embracing oxo-degradable plastic bags. Oxygen, ultra-violet light and heat weaken them into smaller pieces

In addition to the ubiquitous Oxium bags, Tirta Marta also makes Ecoplas brand bags, which combine synthetic polymer with tapioca starch. They cost more to produce, hence they are not so widely used. Tirta Marta has received much praise for its efforts to protect the environment, but the Government needs to do much more to combat the nation’s addiction to plastic bags and the national pastime of littering.

In the West, food packaging often has a recyclable symbol on it. In Indonesia, food packaging is more likely to feature the halal certification symbol of the corruptiontainted Indonesian Ulemas Association (MUI). If religious-minded shoppers really wanted to please God, they could start by showing some respect to the planet by not treating it as a giant rubbish dump, rather than caring about whether some corporation has paid for a certificate.

Some people think that because a plastic bag is labelled ‘degradable’, it can be littered without consequence as it will eventually disappear. Try telling that to the next crew of workers pulling plastic muck out of a clogged drain when Jakarta is flooding.

Then there are people who believe that littering is a positive activity on the grounds that it provides work for cleaners and scavengers.

Next time you bring home some plastic bags of shopping, look for the Oxium logo and realise that “100% degradation” doesn’t necessarily save the planet from plastic pollution. Instead, try re-using your plastic bags or start using long-life bags. If you really care. And start encouraging others to do the same. issue 152 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT OUTREACH THE ENVIRONMENT Grace is a freelance writer, former TV journalist, and aspiring documentarist with a passion for Indonesian history and culture. Contact her at g.c.susetyo@gmail.com

Indonesian Communities Awarded

United Nations Development Programme Equator Prize The United Nation Development Programme’s Equator Initiative recently announced the 2015 winners of its prestigious Equator Prize. Having attracted 1,461 entries from 126 countries, the Prize awards “outstanding local achievement in advancing sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities”

By Grace Susetyo

T

he Equator Prize is normally awarded biennially on even years. “But 2015 is a special year,” said Helen Clark, administrator for the UNDP, at a press conference on September 21 in the UN Headquarters in New York City – where the awarding ceremony was held. Later that week, world leaders met at the UN General Assembly in New York to launch the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. “There is a lot at stake as the world embarks in 2015 on a new pathway to addressing poverty, inequality, and climate change.”

Out of this year’s 21 winners, three call Indonesia their home: Kelompok Peduli Lingkungan Belitung (KPLB – Belitung Group for Environmental Care), Komunitas Adat Muara Tae, and the Forum Masyarakat Adat Dataran Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT – Indigenous Peoples Forum of the Borneo Highlands). These communities are awarded US$10,000 and will be supported to join special events in the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December.

Founded in 2007-2008 by Belitung University students and “people who care”, KPLB won the Equator Prize for running impressive programmes such as sustainable fishery, a tarsier primate sanctuary in Batu Mentas, a conservation centre in Kepayang, a mangrove conservation centre in Mendanau, and community-based ecotourism.

Belitung and neighbouring Bangka are known as tin producers with a long history of mining. The prospect of establishing a deep-sea tin mine can threaten the livelihood of the fishing folk, which makes up 50 percent of Belitung’s population.

Belitung’s waters also attract faraway Bugis, Betawi and Cirebon fishermen, whose home waters no longer produce like they used to – skyrocketing production costs and the pressure to bring home big catch make these fishermen resort to bombs and potassium. Simultaneously, in recent years Belitung has gained attention as a ‘tropical island paradise’ tourist destination.

“The problem today is the ubiquitous destruction caused by the imbalance between what is taken from nature and what is conserved. Conservation is an endeavour to create balance in nature.

To create a better quality of life that will sustain to our future generations, who have entrusted us to take care of the planet for them,” said KPLB chairman, Budi Setiawan.

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Indonesia expat issue 152

KPLB advocates for environmental protection policies, educates locals and other stakeholders of the importance of conservation for sustainable livelihood, and creates an economic value chain around conservation agendas. An example of this is the tarsier sanctuary, where the KPLB hosts a tarsier research centre, and trains locals to run community-based ecotourism ventures such as a restaurant, lodging, tarsier-watching tours, jungle treks and river tubing. The KPLB also empowers the enforcement of the customary law Rimpuk Angkam, which establishes the quota for harvesting marine resources, the allowed methods of sustainable harvest, and the customary sanction of sinking offending ships.

Hailing from a five-hour drive inland from Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Komunitas Adat Muara Tae has been fighting a violent history of land dispossession. The indigenous Dayak Benuaq of Muara Tae are traditionally subsistence farmers that depend on the forest to collect rattan, hunt for protein, and tap rubber. Since 1971, oil palm and coal companies have invaded Muara Tae, deceiving and intimidating locals to vacate their land to make way for commercial exploitation.

“In the dark before dawn, my young children and I were in bed. In the living room, where a dozen men were sleeping, they laid out instruments for the customary ceremony we were going to perform to reforest a destroyed portion of our forest.

Suddenly I heard shooting firearms. The attackers broke into the front door and challenged our Benuaq warriors, but I heard no signs of resistance from our men.

I heard bullets through our roof. An armed, sturdy man broke into the bedroom and hauled my children and me into his vehicle.

He left us at Muara Nayan. I never knew what happened to the men sleeping in my house, but that night in 1998 continues to haunt me,” recalls Maria Mungkin, a Muara Tae housewife and plaintiff against PT. London Sumatra, as written in a 2014 report by the Sajogyo Institute.

For many years, the Benuaqs’ attempts to pursue justice have been criminalised by Indonesian lawmakers. To date, Benuaqs have watched 7,000 hectares of the 11,000 hectares of their ancestral forests and gardens trashed into vast, polluted wastelands.

To fight for the dignity of their survival, the Komunitas partners with AMAN to conduct community mapping of Benuaq

East Malaysia. The highlanders include the Kelabit, Lundayeh-Lun Bawang and Sa’ban peoples, whom share a common ancestry, homeland territory, and language.

Living 900-1,800 metres above sea level, the highlanders’ homelands flaunt backdrops of mountains over valleys of ricefields, fruit groves and bamboo patches blending in with surrounding forests. The highlanders have been practicing wet-rice cultivation for centuries, as well as water buffalo husbandry, which keeps the soil fertile.

Their most famous produce is the adan rice variety, which comes in white, black, and red. Black adan rice was recently registered with Slow Food International’s Ark of Taste – a living catalogue of delicious and distinctive foods facing extinction.

“I heard bullets through our roof. An armed, sturdy man broke into the bedroom and hauled my children and me into his vehicle. He left us at Muara Nayan. I never knew what happened to the men sleeping in my house, but that night in 1998 continues to haunt me.”

territory. This allows them to work toward achieving legal recognition of Benuaq rights. The Komunitas has also replanted 700 hectares of forest with endemic woods and fruit trees. In their peaceful resistance, they have revived the indigenous system of knowledge of their bio-cultural heritage, strengthening social unity and respect as a culture.

Also from Borneo is FORMADAT, a trans-border forum for the Dayak Highlanders of Indonesia’s Nunukan regency in North Kalimantan, and around the Sarawak-Sabah border of

FORMADAT partners with WWF Indonesia and WWF Malaysia in establishing the Tadur Rang Gawa (“bridge to space”) Tele-Centres, internet-powered hubs for digital telecommunications. The TeleCentre enables communities from the Heart of Borneo to promote community-based ecotourism and premium produce such as adan rice. The Tele-Centre in Sarawak has launched Bario Radio, a Kelabit language service which broadcasts local news collected by community members and debates issues of local concern. The FORMADAT-WWF partnership also runs the Cultural Field School, which teaches traditional music and dance to highlander children and youth.

“I think FORMADAT and its leadership set a vision for sustainable development that is rooted in local conditions and cultural traditions. This can set an example for other areas and for governments, the importance of fair partnerships for realising the [UN’s] 2030 Agenda [for Sustainable Development],” said Dr. Cristina Eghenter, Civil Society Thematic Lead for the WWF Borneo Programme.

“The achievements of Equator Prize winners tell us something fundamental: that lowcost, innovative, local solutions do help the world battle climate change and realise sustainable development,” said Helen Clark.

“Those honoured with the award of the Equator Prize show that local actions are a vital part of achieving the transition to sustainable development. They signal to the world that there is hope and that there is leadership coming from the local level.”

issue 152 Indonesia expat

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EXPAT OUTREACH WORTHY CAUSES

XS Project: Going Against the Odds to Save Trash Pickers Aiming to break the generational cycle of trash pickers, XS Project creates and sells products made out of waste materials.

Despite serious obstacles, their priority stands at improving the livelihood of families, especially the children of the trash pickers.

Words by Caranissa Djatmiko

when in practice they still go to grocery stores and leave with plastic bags in their hands. “That is not ‘going green’. You are supposed to refuse using plastic and sort your waste,” she states.

At the end of the day, the question remains: how much can we do if we cannot keep up with the supply of waste, fostered by such a lack of understanding and subversive mindsets that overlooks trash as a problem?

B

eing a trash picker (pemulung) is not a ‘humane’ profession, but in Indonesia, thousands of people living below the poverty line, without qualifications, take on this role. In Jakarta, trash pickers earn approximately Rp.50,000 a day, an undoubtedly low income for anyone seeking to provide for their families. With such limited financial resources, not only are they unable to support their families, but they also face difficulties in satisfying their basic needs for health and education.

One of the harshest consequences of working as a trash picker is the inability to send their children to school. This eventually becomes a cyclical existence, as the children are unlikely able to break away this livelihood as well.

General Manager of XS Project, Retno Hapsari, believes that people’s tolerance for trash is responsible for trash pickers’ woeful condition. Regardless of the public’s sympathy for the pemulung, she thinks that many people fail to realise their true impact on trash pickers and their families. “People just don’t have an understanding of what the impact is of abusing the environment,”

Dua Tangan Cukup

she claims, which in turn leads to undeserved living conditions for the pemulung.

XS Project is a non-profit organisation wishing to improve the living standards of trash pickers. Although the environment remains their primary concern, it is the children of trash pickers that they are most worried about, as they hold the key to breaking the generational cycle. To help eliminate the issue, they create useful products made out of waste materials, including plastic pouches, used billboards and car seat upholstery, and sell them; proceeds of which are given to families of the pemulung. Funds are allocated to school expenses, such as books, uniforms, school lunches and snacks, and transportation.

For the past 10 years, since XS Project first started its operations, Hapsari has noticed that companies have found ways to give themselves excuses for producing waste.

Nowadays it appears that the amount of plastic produced is increasing because companies tend to compensate through recycling and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes to educate people about the environment. That being said, Hapsari

Clean Up Jakarta Day recently ran a crowdfunding campaign to help raise money towards purchasing an additional 5,000 pairs of gloves for its volunteers, as well as continue their education outreach programme. Many generous people donated, and here Clean Up Jakarta Day would like to thank its two biggest donors for their kind donations: Mr. Roland Staehler Mr. Philip Richardson Thank you for helping to make all Clean Up Jakarta day activities possible! You’re very generous! And thank you to everyone else who donated to make Clean Up Jakarta Day's activities possible!

Indonesia expat issue 152

believes these companies still miss the point of not producing waste in the first place.

Hapsari also feels that consumers should know better. “Even if the company creates this waste, the consumer should understand that they have to sort their rubbish,” she says. The problem is, even if consumers do separate their waste, the Government does not support them with a waste management system.

Some people have also made efforts to apply an eco-friendly way of living, but Hapsari thinks that when it comes to execution, many fail disastrously. She doubts if people actually understands how ‘going green’ actually works

XS Project continues to help improve the livelihood of trash pickers by purchasing rubbish from them at above market prices, conducting health check-ups to make sure trash pickers and their families stay in good shape, and controlling the quality of products created for consumers. Most importantly, they count on education to guarantee the possibility for children to pursue a different pathway.

The day when waste no longer exists will understandably be the winning day for XS Project. Until then, they continue working on the betterment of the trash picker community, even though they are far from realising their victory. As Hapsari admits, “What we do is actually very small. But better than doing nothing.”

To support XS Project, you can purchase their products and make donations. For more information, visit www.xsproject-id.org

Causes to Support from Across the Archipelago

Crowdfunding Heroes

22

“She doubts if people actually understands how ‘going green’ actually works when in practice they still go to grocery stores and leave with plastic bags in their hands.”

For XS Project, education certainly plays a prominent role in making sure that the children will not end up becoming trash pickers like their parents. Hapsari notes that the function of education does not merely apply to these children, but also to society as a whole. “The trash pickers’ condition is the impact of what you throw away,” she argues.

If you have five minutes to spare and would like to help out a worthwhile organization via crowdfunding, here are a few ongoing campaigns that you can help out: kitabisa.com/becakterus Scott Thompson, the famous ‘bule gila’, is riding a rickshaw bike from Aceh to Jakarta to raise funds for four charities. kitabisa.com/melawanpikun DY Suharya is raising funds for Alzheimer Foundation Indonesia in order to raise awareness for healthy ageing and an elderly-friendly Indonesia. kitabisa.com/perjalananmbaksri Sri Lestari, a woman in wheelchair, is riding a motorbike across the country to raise funds for a disability empowerment programme.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Paulaner Bräuhaus Celebrated Second Oktoberfest JAKARTA Paulaner Bräuhaus, Indonesia’s only genuine German microbrewery, celebrated its second Oktoberfest this year, with the biggest beer celebration in Jakarta held from 7 - 10 October.

The opening night kicked off with the ‘Anstich’ tradition, in which the first litre of specially brewed Oktoberfest Bier was tapped by Paulaner Brewmaster Arie Susanto. The ingredients for this special brew are all imported from Munich and brewed on-site at Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Jakarta’s microbrewery.

Like last year, to give this uber-fest an authentic Bavarian touch, the renowned folk band X’elcht’en were flown in straight from Munich to entertain partygoers with games, competitions and traditional music, as well as party favourites.

“This year’s Oktoberfest carries on where last year’s left off,” said Sri Murtana, Paulaner Restaurant Manager. “Our waiters and waitresses wore traditional lederhosen and dirndl dresses, barrel after barrel of beer, delicious wurst and pork knuckle, and singing and dancing until the early hours.” The party rocked on for four nights, challenging even the most hedonistic to keep pace.

The Park Lane Jakarta Awarded Top 10 Best Green Hotel in Indonesia

together participants from different nations, including Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, UK, France, Belgium, Denmark, Canada, and also the Netherlands.

JAKARTA The Park Lane Hotel Jakarta recently received the ‘Green Hotel Award 2015’ from the Tourism Ministry of Indonesia as one of the top 10 Best Green Hotels, competing with many other hotels and resorts in Indonesia.

Evaluated and assessed by seven professional judges appointed by the Tourism Ministry, The Park Lane Jakarta has an extensive in-house eco programme to preserve the environment, including conserving energy, water, waste management and safety management.

Optimizing water and energy consumption, minimizing waste production and catering for the safety of guests and employees are some of the hotel’s commitments in accordance with the Green Hotel Award’s criteria.

Mesa Stila Challenge Ultra 2015 MAGELANG For its fifth consecutive year, Mesa Stila Hotel & Resort has managed to successfully bring together a group of race enthusiasts to partake in the Mesa Stila Challenge Ultra. For three days, starting from 9 – 11 October 2015, participants joined the off-road race classified into five categories: 13km, 21km, 42km, 65km and 100km.

With more than 150 runners signed up, the Challenge brought

Set in the spellbinding location of Magelang in Central Java, participants had the chance to traverse Mount Andong and Mount Gilipetung, while Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu were initially planned to be included, but were unfortunately removed from the route due to forest fires. Beginning at dawn, trail runners were off, and only half of the participants – eight to be exact – completed the 100km category. The winner of last year’s 60km category, Arief Wismoyono, won first place this year for the 100km race. Runner up Dzaki Wardana followed, and Pramonosidi sat in third place.

This year, Mesa Stila succeeded in attaining recognition from the International Trail Running Association (ITRA).

Agus Budi, race director of the Mesa Stila Challenge said, “In Mesa Stila Challenge and Ultra 2015, every runner who reaches the end of the line will earn points.” Winners of the 100km each earned three out of nine points required to qualify for the world’s most renowned trail run event: the Ultra du Mont Blanc (UTMB). Congratulations to all of the winners!

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Expands Presence in Indonesia with Opening of Sheraton Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel JAKARTA Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) last week announced the opening of Sheraton® Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel, the second Sheraton to debut in the cosmopolitan city of Jakarta. Owned by PT. Pakuwon Jati Tbk, the opening further propels the brand’s fast pace growth in Asia Pacific, and drives Sheraton closer to its goal of adding more than 150 new hotels worldwide by 2020. This is just one of many new initiatives currently under way for Sheraton 2020, the all-encompassing plan to make Sheraton the global hotel brand of choice, everywhere.

“Jakarta has established itself as a thriving destination for travellers, and we are excited to respond to this rising demand by opening our second Sheraton hotel in this

bustling city,” said Dave Marr, Global Brand Leader for Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. “Sheraton is diligently focused on growing the brand worldwide, with a goal to add at least 150 hotels by 2020, and opening in primary urban destinations such as Jakarta further solidifies Sheraton as a global hotel leader.”

“Indonesia continues to be a key growth market in Asia Pacific and is well-suited for the expansion of the iconic Sheraton brand,” said Charlie Dang, Regional Vice President, Southeast Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific. “The opening of Sheraton Jakarta Gandaria City Hotel will help meet the rising demand for highcalibre lodging generated by the influx of business and leisure travellers to Jakarta, the gateway to Indonesia.”

issue 152 Indonesia expat

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Proof that Not Refusing to Save the Planet Might Not be a Bad Idea

* Answers in the next edition!

LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

CROSSWORD

By Eamonn Sadler

Most people will be very surprised to learn that the world’s population of polar bears has shrunk by almost 60 percent in the last 30 years. Studies carried out by the Polar Wildlife Research Institute (PWRI) show that in 1985 there were more than 23,000 polar bears and today there are roughly 17,000. Research has also shown that the polar ice caps have receded by almost 15 percent in the last 200 years, meaning that their area is now only around 1.5 million square miles. Figures from the Global Climate Monitoring Institute (GCMI) also suggests that the average global temperature has increased by slightly less than five percent in the last 150 years and all indications are that this trend will continue. Unless the world’s population takes notice and changes their behaviours, the GCMI estimates we could see a rise in the average global temperature of up to 20 percent in the next 50 years. These figures are alarming, but what is more alarming is the fact that I made them all up and there is no such thing as the PWRI or the GCMI.

began in 1784, rather than only since the Industrial Revolution (as most global warming proponents do), the overall global temperature has actually decreased rather than increased. It should come as no surprise to you by now to learn that this entire paragraph is also complete nonsense and none of the facts or figures I present within it are true (as far as I know).

The point I am making is simple; if you read something that sounds authoritative and gives lots of ‘facts and figures’, it doesn’t mean you should accept those facts and figures at face value. I am also making the point that there are always at least two sides to any argument and numbers can always be presented in such a way that they paint the exact picture the author wishes the reader to see. But the biggest point I am making is that if you use Google, you will find very convincing arguments for and against just about anything.

However, when it comes to global warming, I really don’t understand why I don’t keep my house The truth is that there are anyone would argue that clean because I am more polar bears today than it is not real. So, what if worried about the effect there were 30 years ago. it’s a hoax? I don’t keep my its disgustingness might The population was indeed house clean because I am have on my neighbours in shrinking, but research by worried about the effect the WWF discovered that its disgustingness might 200 years, I keep it clean this was caused by a boom have on my neighbours in because it makes my house in the population of wolves 200 years, I keep it clean a much nicer place to live in the Arctic, and these because it makes my house and it means everything in larger number of wolves a much nicer place to live it might last a bit longer. were killing larger numbers and it means everything in of polar bears than they had it might last a bit longer. previously, causing polar (When I say “I”, I mean my bear numbers to dwindle. (Nobody was maid of course). The amount of natural counting the wolves, presumable because resources available to us is obviously not they are not white and fluffy and cute.) infinite, so obviously we should use them as The authorities organised a cull of Arctic sparingly as possible. Renewable energies wolves and within a short space of time the are obviously as close to infinite as it’s natural balance was restored and the polar possible to get, so obviously we should use bear community increased accordingly and them as much as possible. I said “obviously” is now back at a normal level. Research a lot there. The problem is these things do carried out by National Geographic has also not seem to be obvious to a lot of people. I proven that the Arctic ice is now thicker hope we can stop arguing about this and than it has ever been. It also covers a greater just agree that a cleaner world is a better area than it ever has before when you take and nicer world, and without a doubt the into account all the areas that are officially cleaner and nicer we keep it the longer it designated geographically as “polar”. will last.

Figures from the Meteorological Research Institute have also established that in real terms, when the global average temperature is measured since records

Or will it? Recent research by The World Won’t Last Longer if We Look After It Institute (TWWLLIWLAII) shows that…

Nah. I’ve lost you now.

Eamonn has lived and worked in Indonesia for over 20 years but doesn’t understand the country at all and now realises that he never will. He is an entrepreneur, businessman and writer, lead singer with expat band Xhibit A and the owner and operator of The Jakarta Comedy Club and The Bali Comedy Club.

IS MADE POSSIBLE BY:

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Indonesia expat issue 152

Across 1. Play (for January 6?) (7,5) 8. Discover (7) 9. Well-to-do (7) 10. Nothing (slang) (4,3) 11. Coil of wool - flock of geese (5) 13. Land where there should be no building (5,4) 15. Possibly bliss? (9) 18. Beautify (5) 21. Excavation for children to play in (7) 22. Effective (7) 23. Light rain (7) 24. Esteem (7)

DOWN 1. Square in New York (5) 2. Premium bond computer (5) 3. Swing (operated by daring young man?) (6,7) 4. Come closely together (6) 5. Rubella (6,7) 6. Fold - wrinkle (6) 7. Swiss-style house (6) 12. Play set in medieval Britain (4,4) 14. See 12 15. Stomach etc - in prison? (6) 16. Papal ambassador (6) 17. Crazy person (6) 19. State one's view (5) 20. See 1 across

ANSWERS OF ISSUE 151

ACROSS — 1. Standing 5. Dais 9. Maths 10. Clavier 11. Prince Regent 13. Sextet 14. Benign 17. Hair restorer 20. Wrestle 21. Drape 22. Lute 23. Spirited DOWN — 1. Some 2. Anthrax 3. Disintegrate 4. Nickel 6. Aside 7. Scrutiny 8. Tape recorder 12. Eschewal 15. Inexact 16. Asleep 18. Inert 19. Dead

Whoever throws their trash here, we pray you will be single for the rest of your life.

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HUMOROUS OBSERVATIONS Mr. P is NSFW.

TRASH TALK

By Simon Pitchforth

“Ours is a culture and a time as immensely rich in trash as it is in treasures.” – Ray Bradbury

O

ne of the main criticisms levelled at our work hard, shop hard, rinse, repeat, and die form of consumer capitalism are the so-called ‘externalities’ that the system produces, and largely ignores. For example, if I sell you a second-hand car, then everything is hunky-dory when viewed in purely financial terms. I've made a few rupiah to spend on Pilsner and prophylactics, while you've got yourself a nice run-around to take hubby to his feng shui classes.

However, beyond our little deal lie the so-called externalities. There’s the extra pollution added to the atmosphere, the spent gasoline (up to 50 percent of which is simply wasted out of hand sitting in Jakarta's traffic jams, according to official statistics), not to mention the health costs of the driver’s blood pressure going through the roof during the psychological purgatory of the average Jakartan jam. Basically, our economic system still barely acknowledges the surely self-evident fact that the Earth is neither an infinite resource nor an infinitely large rubbish bin. (And by the way, if anyone's interested, then serious offers only please for the car, no tyre kickers.)

Now if one looks at the Indonesian capital in the context of these issues, then one could surely be forgiven for imagining that folk here are in competition with each other to produce as many ‘externalities’ over and above the purely financial value of their transactions as is humanly possible.

Whether it's clogging waterways with trash, wrapping shopping deep within an impenetrable cocoon of plastic bags, burning said bags at the roadside morning, noon and night, thus turning the city into a vast carcinogenic shisha pipe, tossing still smouldering cigarette butts into parched, tinder-dry forests (what could go wrong?), endangering species by the ark load, driving buses so old that they would give a Volkswagen emissions tester nightmares, all the way up to producing a blanket of haze so thick that even NASA’s satellites have drawn a blank.

If there’s one national stereotype here that I have no qualms at all about reinforcing, it’s this general environmental ignorance, and it gives me no great pleasure to say it, as obviously I have to breathe the same air too.

I suggest introducing new green lessons into the national education curriculum and challenging the prevailing laissez-faire, ‘out of sight, out of mind’ attitude to waste and the environment. Even knocking just an hour off the general flag-saluting and genuflecting to God indoctrination sessions once a week in order to accommodate said classes would be a start. Alas, however, green politics are often characterised as watermelon politics by authoritarian types, of which there are many here. And by watermelon, I mean green on the outside and red on the inside, and the red flag ain't gonna fly very high in this country.

My travels around Indonesia, though, have blessed me with an abundance of natural riches, punctuated by infuriating mounds of rubbish. Let’s have a quick meander through the archipelago. Hikes around well-known peaks such as Gunung Gede, Lawu and the like have shown me gorgeous mountains which are generally clean as a whistle, to the point where you can even refill water bottles from the fresh stream that flows atop Gede (something that I certainly wouldn't recommend doing further downstream).

Mind you, the small areas of trampled trash around where campers set their tents up are obviously highly vexing. Outside of Java, however, I have enjoyed

cycle tours around sparsely populated areas in North Sulawesi, Sumba, Sumbawa, Aceh and the like and have revelled in the endless ribbons of clean roads and virgin sands.

Closer to home, Pulau Seribu (The Thousand Islands) can also be surprisingly pleasant, however I’ve found that one increasingly has to sail ever further down the chain and away from the capital in order to enjoy a nice swim unencumbered by a repulsive flotsam of noodle and detergent packets, as well as the terminal moraines of trash that uglify the beaches. Indeed, a study of the area turned up 34,000 pieces of litter in 11 categories on 23 of the islands.

The most common items were polystyrene blocks, plastic bags (inevitably) and, for some reason, discarded footwear.

There’s undoubtedly a significant psychological component to the litter problem. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion conduc ted an interesting series of experiments. He would place flyers under the windscreen wipers of random cars in car parks and then wait, spying on the returning motorists in order to see if they tossed the flyers onto the ground.

The results revealed that environmental cues were a strong determining factor here. If the environment was already full of litter, then they littered. If there was no litter, then they were significantly less likely to litter. Interestingly, if there was one single piece of litter on the ground, then people were the least likely to litter, as the lone wrapper drew attention to the problem.

So, if this study is to be believed, then we have to first clean the place up before attitudes can change. Of course, for maximum effect, we’d have to leave a single piece of litter, although I guess that that could be Jakarta itself, which in terms of infrastructure, urban planning and general liveability resembles nothing so much as a giant discarded Indomie packet liberally smeared with engine oil and cat faeces.

Ultimately though, perhaps the person who best articulated the problem that urban Indonesia faces was the late, great Oscar Wilde. Once, during his famous tour of the US, Wilde was asked why he thought America, recently torn asunder by civil war, was such a violent society. His reply was simple: "I believe it's because your wallpaper is so ugly." Now at first glance this may seem like one of Oscar's more flippant aphorisms, however perhaps there’s a more serious message here for those who, like Oscar, believe that an appreciation of beauty as refracted through life, culture and nature, is one of our noblest callings.

If you stroll along a virgin stretch of Indonesian coast, then you will see nothing but natural beauty. If, however, you live in an ugly, manmade environment full of plastic rubbish, clouds of hydrocarbon smog and monolithic expanses of grimy concrete, then you may well end up thinking ugly thoughts about yourself and indeed about the whole human race. And so it is that you end up crapping in your own nest. And, so far as the capital of this fair country is concerned, rarely was a nest more crapped in.

Such an aesthetic view of life, as exemplified by Oscar, forces us to consider the world beyond the dyed-in-the-wool dogmas of parliamentary politics, nationalism and religion. And indeed Jakarta, which can seem so vibrant at times (and not just after 10pm when one has a cold beer in one's hand), can, at others, induce an almost insurmountable sense of defeatism. Chin up, chaps, there’s still beauty out there.

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If you want your event to be posted here, please contact +62 (0) 21 719 5908 or e-mail: events@indonesiaexpat.biz

EVENTS

JAKARTA

Music

Arts & Culture

Indonesian Heritage Society 29 September-3 November 2015 Indonesian Heritage Society invites a number of intellectuals to a series of evening lectures with varying subjects, ranging f rom urba nism, politic s, to autobiography. Subjects include ‘ S m a r t Ja k a r t a – Ho w t o Make the City Truly ‘Liveable’, where Rupert Taylor w ill be discussing issues in the capital city; ‘Productivity as the Key to Development – Why Indonesia’s Dismal Performance’, where Prof.

Iwan Jaya Azis will be revealing why Indonesian productivity improvements make for slow progress; and ‘The Extraordinary Life of Harry Darsono’, where Harry Darsono himself will be sharing his personal experience and ideas on creativity. The event is open for the public and will take place at Erasmus Huis. For more information, please visit www. heritagejkt.org/evening-lectures

other attendees by exchanging referrals and introducing them to their target audience. JBN is all about helping you grow your business. Promote your business, personal brand or portfolio each week to the rest of the attendees and explain to the group the type of referrals you would like to receive. JBN professional networking sessions are from 07-09am every Wednesday at Mamma Rosy, Kemang and every Thursday at Mercantile Athletic Club, WTC, Sudirman. RSVP: info@jbnetworkers.com Comedy

Neon Indian Live 24 November 2015 American electronic music band, Neon Indian, will be coming to Jakarta this November. Alan Palomo and his band will bring their magical tunes to life at the Rolling Stone Café. Neon Indian’s debut Indonesian performance is set before taking over Meredith Music Festival, Australia. The ba nd ha s prev iously played in numerous music festivals including South by Southwest and one of the most internationally renow ned indie festiva ls, Coachella. Early bird tickets are on sale from Rp.200,000 while standard presale tickets will be available for Rp.300,000. For more information, please visit www.prasvana.com

musicians and artists such as Vina Pnaduwinata, Titi DJ, Koes Plus, Harvey Malaihollo, Reza Artamevia, and Rick Price. The event will take place at Kartika Expo, Balai Kartini. For more information please visit www. jakarta.dekadeconcert.com/2015

Djakarta Warehouse Project 2015 11–12 December 2015 One of the most anticipated music festivals is finally arriving, as Djakarta Warehouse Project brings us some of the biggest international names in dance music. The two-day event will feature artists such as Axwell & Ingrosso, DJ Snake, James Jones, Kaskade, Major Lazer, Oliver Heldens, Porter Robinson (Live), Rehab, and also Tiesto. This year reportedly makes the highest tickets sales so far as party-goers are ready for the most explosive dance music festival. The event w i l l t a ke pla c e at J IE X PO Kemayoran, Jakarta. For more information please visit www. djakartawarehouse.com/tickets Sports

Jakarta Comedy Club: Glenn Wool Salihara Literary Biennale 3-25 October 2015 Salihara Literary Biennale is here for all literature lovers!

Events include: Verses, a poetry reading under the evening sky; Journey to Fantasy, readings

by Indone sia n a nd foreig n writers on works ranging from travelogues to poetry; After 70 Years of Independence: Blessing or Spectre of History, literary readings and discussions by Indonesian and Dutch writers on our shared history. There will also be a books exhibition and sales.

For more information, please visit www.salihara.org

23 October 2015 Inter nationa l globetrot ting comedian Glenn Wool returns to Jakarta with his smash hit Edinburgh Festival 2015 show Creator, I am but a pawn. The critically-acclaimed show will take us on a raucous ride through Glenn’s psyche and introduces us to the voices in his head as a kind of alter ego that drives every good or bad thing he says and does. For more information please visit www.paytix.net Fashion

Indonesia Comic Con 14–15 November 2015 Indonesia is marking its debut of the most anticipated pop culture exhibition around the globe: Comic Con. With this year’s theme of ‘We Are Pop Culture’, fans of comics, TV, and entertainment will be transported into the world of their favourite characters and will rejoice in the ultimate pop culture experience by joi n i ng e x h ibit ion s a nd cosplay. For tickets and more information please visit www. indonesiacomiccon.com Networking Jakarta Business Networkers Make the right connections to help develop and grow your business over bre a k fa s t . At Ja k a r t a Business Networkers (JBN), all attendees are encouraged to help

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Indonesia expat issue 152

JOGJAKARTA Arts & Culture

31 October 2015 In the spirit of ‘German Season’, i nt e r n a t ion a l l y a c c l a i me d d irec tors R imini Protokoli collaborates with Teater Garasi in a performance called ‘100% Yogyakarta’. Through portrayals of everyday practices, the show w ill ref lect the authenticity of Yog yakarta in a thoughtprovoking way and will see the cast expressing their perspectives on their city. The unique concept has been picked up before in cities around the world such as London, Berlin, Vienna, Tokyo, and many more. For more information please visit www.teatergarasi.org

Arts & Culture Clean Bandit Live 2015 8 December 2015 English electronic group Clean Bandit will be saying hello to Jakarta for the very first time this December. Known for their hit single ‘Rather Be’, the pop band will be taking over the stage at Gandaria City Mall. Originating from Cambridge, Grace Chatto, Milan Neil Amin-Smith, Jack Patterson, and Luke Patterson formed the band in 2009. In February they took home the prestigious Grammy award for Best Dance Record. This event is presented by Marygops Studios and 7K ings Enter tainment.

Ticket Price: Rp.785.000. www. marygops.com

they get to try out a selection of tasty canapés as well as taking over the dance f loor. The event also features Australian rock legend Jon Stevens. For more information please visit www. balialternativemedia.com

Rimini Protokoli and Teater Garasi

BALI & LOMBOK

Jakarta Fashion Week 24–30 October 2015 One of the most sophisticated events in the fashion industry is back for its 8 th time in this year’s Jakarta Fashion Week.

As a platform for innovators, trendset ters, and fa shion enthusiasts to share their passion for fashion, Jakarta Fashion Week is bringing a number of fashion pioneers and brands including Barli Asmara, Carmanita, Peggy Hartanto, Obin, Major Minor, Cotton Ink, and many more. The event will also invite consumers and designers to interact in Fashionlink, where designers get to introduce their products to a wide range of consumers.

For show schedule and more information, please visit www. jakartafashionweek.co.id

other. On the days leading up to the main event, guests will get the chance to explore Nihi in a five-day itinerary, including trekking and swimming in the Blue Waterfall and a trip to the Sumban Jungle. Guests can also indulge themselves with brunch by the sea and unlimited spa treatments. When the night comes, guests shall dance the night away in Nihi’s bohemian ‘White Party’ and ‘Jungle Party’.

For re ser vat ion s a nd more information, please visit www. nihiwatu.com

Spirit of Smiles Golf Tournament 31 October 2015 AccorHotels presents the ‘Spirit of Smiles’ Golf Tournament, a fundraising event that will take place at the Bali National Golf Club, Nusa Dua, Bali. The char it y event aims to build the second A Tree For A Child (ATFAC) education centre for under priv ileged children in Bedug u l d istr ic t , Taba na n.

Lucky draw prizes, goodie bags, and a Pajero sports car will also be available as rewards. For registration, please call +62 361 300 7080 or e-mail: thierr y. gasnier@accor.com

KALIMANTAN BritCham Sport Gala Night Rugby World Cup Final 31 October 2015 Watch the Rugby World Cup final in a 5-star hotel while contributing to a char it y prog ramme for children in Greater Jakar ta and West Java. The sports gala night is inviting guests to enjoy a 4-course menu that features dishes from participating nations, free-flow of wines, beers and soft drinks. Additionally they will be entertained with table games and auction memorabilia. For more information, please visit www. britcham.or.id

EAST NUSA TENGGARA Sports

Arts & Culture

Pullman Exhibition 2015 26 August–29 November 2015 Celebrate the beauty of art in the Pullman’s ‘Unusual Abstract Painting Exhibition: Secret of Nature Part II by Zulman Damanik’. The exhibition will showcase exceptional talent from local artists through abstract paintings displayed all the way from the lobby to the corridors.

This is the second time Zulman Damanik has collaborated with the hotel to demonstrate his artistry.

Nicolas Feuillatte Melbourne Cup 2015

Jakarta Dekade

British Polo Day, Sumba Island

11 December 2015 Reminisce the ‘60s and ‘90s in the most spectacular conclusion to our year. Through this year’s theme of ‘Exclusive Concert: From the Old Time Best’, Jakarta Dekade 2015 will possibly be one of the greatest music celebrations featuring local

3–10 November 2015 This November, Nihiwatu (Nihi) resort is hosting British Polo Day’s first ‘Global Gathering’.

Set in the island of Sumba, the inaugural event shall embrace local customs. The polo will see two teams playing against each

3 November 2015 Nicolas Feuillatte Melbourne Cup is inviting all party-goers, racing enthusiasts, and fashionistas to join Bali’s most extravagant lawn party this November. Set in the grounds of Canggu Club, which will be turned into a gala affair, attendees shall enjoy a three-course lunch on the lawn, free flow champagne, beer and wines. Those who would rather mingle during the day get to enjoy the Cocktail Party, where

Bali & Borneo Photography Adventure 20-27 November 2015 Join experienced adventurous professional travel photographer Mark Rayner and Masterclass photographer David Metcalf on a photographic adventure of a lifetime. You will have the opportunity to photograph a variety of wildlife in Borneo, including a visit to a private island to see the orangutans by special arrangement. There will also be a three-day houseboat trip and cruise up the river visiting Dayak villages. Enjoy a special performance of Dayak music a nd da nce a nd photog raph the stunning sunsets in the wetlands as the native hornbills sweep across the sky. For more information, please visit www. davidmetcalfphotography.com

INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

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Located in Kuningan Business District, integrated with shopping Mall and residential enable you for a more convenient and easier way of doing business in Jakarta. With flexible lease terms, ready to use office suites, immediate office setup, daily receptionist and maintenance services, 88 Service Office leaves you free to run your business without the day to day hassles of managing a conventional office space. "At 88 Service Office, we enable you to focus on your core business with friendly professionalism and affordable flexibility"

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We Deliver Stroopwafels in Indonesia to your home or office 1 pack/ quantity of 8 pieces regular plain (9cm) for Rp. 60.000 1 pack/ quantity of 8 pieces regular choco (9cm) for Rp. 65.000 Call: 021 766 4465/ 081 114 90400 or e-mail: info@altjebakery.com

Bartele Gallery is the only dedicated shop in Indonesia which focuses on antique maps, prints, photographs, books and antiquities, ideal for a unique gift for that special someone. Come and browse through hundreds of old and original maps and prints from all across the globe!

Call us +62 (0) 21 719 0087 or E-mail: info@bartelegallery.com and visit our Facebook: facebook.com/ bartelegallery for more information

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INDONESIA EXPAT DIRECTORY

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TO BOOK SPACE ON THIS DIRECTORY PAGE CALL: 021 719 5908

issue 152 Indonesia expat

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Jakarta

HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? Looking for something to buy? Looking for staff? Selling property? Or need a place to live? Why not place your classified ad with Indonesia Expat! Your classified will be placed once for 2 weeks online and once in our printed version which has a circulation of 16.500 copies bi-weekly.

Next deadline: 26 October

CONDITIONS Personal classifieds Commercial classifieds

Free of Charge (50 words max) Rp. 100,000 (0–50 words) Rp. 200,000 (50–100 words)

Property listings are considered as Commercial.

Adding an image incurs an extra charge of Rp.150,000. Business Listings can only be placed on the Business Listings page (p.30) Send in your classifieds to ads@indonesiaexpat.biz

Looking for work

Property

Full Time and Part Time vacancies are now available for experienced English language instructors for corporate courses around Jakarta. Competitive rates and travel allowance are offered. Please send your CV to recruitment@ kpiconsultancy.com

Kempinski Private Residences.

Jl, MH. Thamrin No. 1 Jakarta Pusat. Bedroom: 2 bedrooms, 157 sqm. Car Park : 1 reserved parking lot per unit apartment.

Condition: Fully furnished.

The renta l fee per month: around US$3,500. Contact: +6281510115106

Maid / Cook wanted -live In. I am looking to employ a livein cook. I have a maid already that does a great job, but now I would like to also employ a cook that is experienced in Indonesian and Western cooking. Hopefully the right person might also be interested in gardening. This is a live in position (own separate accommodation next to my house.

The start is almost immediate and the location is Kemang. E-mail: gavin.halkett@gmail.com Expat family of four, looking for a reliable and experienced nanny.

Some weekends and evenings w ill be required. We live in North Jakarta. Qualifications: Experience working with expat families. Experience working with children. References. Speaks some English. Can cook, clean, iron, etc.

Is able to manage the household (i.e. pay water, electricity, etc).

Available occasional weekends and evenings. For further information, please call Kenya at +628229808 4923.

House for rent. The house is located at Jl Jati Padang Poncol.

It is a two story house and has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, clean kitchen, dirty kitchen, staff living area, security living area, space to easily park two cars, pool, garden, terrace, covered bbq area, etc. Price USD 2,700/month (nego). Semifurnished. Ready to move in.

Please contact: +62 8111632682 Commercial land for lease in west and A lam Sutra area.

E -m a i l: a n neke . sid a r t a @ propandekorindo.com Apartment for sale. 4 rooms apartment Silkwood alam sutra for sale, +628119996898

Jobs Available I’m looking for a job as a driver, I have some work experiences in the companies and personal driver. please contact me +6281388775588 or +6285946061400 (Pak Jajang Dulyamin).

Automotives For rent: Toyota Fortuner 2015 V N T D i e s e l , R p.7 m i l l io n .

Monthly. Call: +6281228091978

House for Rent in Lebak Bulus South Jakarta. Two level house very bright, good air circulation with 3 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms, master bedroom with ensuite bathtub and walk-in closet.

Large living and dining area.

Close to amenities, hospitals, walking distance to Singapore International School. Front and back garden. Big service area at the back. Price at 1500 USD/month negotiable. Contact +62811848483 for details.

Toyota Fortuner for Sale: 2012 White. E x pat ow ned w ith Automatic Transmission, GPS and beige leather interior. Not diesel, no accidents and no f looding.

62,000 km, USD$20,500 after discount. Available 10 December.

Serious buyers only email: c_ ashaw@hotmail.com For sale: Toyota Innova 2005.

Silver color. Automatic. 210,000 k m. A sk ing for IDR 90 m i l (nett). Please contact : tinneke_ agustina@yahoo.com

ads@indonesiaexpat.biz for competitive advertising rates and get noticed through our printed publication, e-newsletter and on our website.

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Indonesia expat issue 152

Duty free Toyota Innova. Grand New K ijang Innova G -GS A/ T2.0L(4 Speed Automatic) – Year 2013 Grey. Mica Metallic.

Mileage: ~20,000km. The vehicle is almost brand new and in an exceptionally good condition and has a full service history, air conditioner, power windows, central locking, radio/CD player etc. Price: 13.000 USD (Or Nearest Offer). Availability: December 2015 (could be worked out) Contact: sudha.c.neeraj@gmail. com / +628119007666

For rent a Share housing for a maximum of 3 tenants in Kemang. We will help you find other sharehouse renters. For more info please check our web: www.jakartasharehouse.com or call +6281513010135 For rent 300 houses at Kemang, Cipete, Cilandak, Jeruk Purut, Pondok Indah. Big gardens, swimming pools, USD2,000 - 5,000. Phone: +62816859551 or +628170093366 For rent Jl. Kenanga no.28 /E-4 complex, Near NIS, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Swimming pool $3,000. Call +62816859551

(primary/secondary/university), all curriculum (IB/IGCSE,etc).

Fee is affordable. Satisfaction guaranteed. Please call. Mr. Charles +622196021800 French and bahasa lesson at your place with qualified teacher for international school students and expatriates. Contact Novi +62816704370

Fo r r e n t F u l l y F u r n i s h e d Apartment around South Jakarta for 1 BR - 5 BR Cassablanca Apartment & Bonavista Penthouse Lebak Bulus. Size range 55 sqm 587 sqm. Price range start $1200 $3500 / month (negotiable price).

All min lease 1 year. For further info, please Contact : Maggie.

ACCOR D R E A LT Y. Email : wmekar@yahoo.com.

Ph : +62 (0) 81299184576 For Rent loft unit Apartment at Citylofts Sudirman, 86 sqm unfurnished condition can be used as an office or residence, Located in a Business area in Jakarta, More info please call : +628121008927 (Maharani Property) Fantastic Balinese style family house for rent, Short lease (9 mont h s) or long e r le a s e i f re qu i re d/w a nt e d . 4 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Fantastic living space opening on to big terrace running the length of the house looking on to lovely enclosed garden and super pool. (pool has fence but is removable if not required). Double Garage, gardens front and back, very good staff accommodation, (if required). location: Kemang Pejaten. street is a cul de sac, so Zero passing traffic. property ava i lable due t o reloc at ion overseas. The property is available to move into NOW! If you want to know more about the property you can email me on provra@ gmail.com or if you want to view the property call Sandra: +628151807950 Hou s e for R ent . L o c at ion: Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta Access: 10 minutes driving to Senayan Cit y Ma ll or Pla za Senayan, 15 minutes driving to Gandaria City, 25 minutes driving to SCBD area, 20 minutes driving to Blok M, 20 minutes to Permata Hijau area (normal condition). Condition : Very good.

House information : Land 145m, building 189m, 2 floors, Facilities: 1 master bed (king size, serta), 1 double bunk bed (single size), 1 single bed (for house assistant), 1 book rack, 1 tv table, stove, kitchen utensil, 1 long chair, 1 rocking chair, 1 ceiling fan, 1 AC. Price: Rp 145 mill / year.

Contact: amalia.frese@gmail. com or 08111490400 Services EINSTEIN PRIVATE TUITION (The Very Best and Experienced t e a c he r w i l l c ome t o y ou r pla c e). Help you w it h you r Mathemat ic s a nd Sciences, E c onom ic , Ac c ou nt i ng a nd Ba ha sa Indonesia . A ll level

Private Indonesian language for expats. Private Indonesian lang uage for expats at your place. Free trial. just contact me (text/call/whatsapp), Puspita: +6281210112322 Traditional Ma ssage. Come your place 8am-8pm. SMS : +6287786069410 Spanish Tutor: Learn Spanish at your place with a DELE-certified examiner from Spain. Most of my students come from International Schools (JIS and BSJ). Please call me (Raúl) +6282110502786 E-mail: unascartas@yahoo.com Interested to lea r n Ba ha sa Indonesia or culture? We attend your office, house or coffee shop!

Our trainers achieve excellent results! Genix is an International Sk ills Training and Ser v ice provider; we specialize in Bahasa Indonesia language training for Expats and Families. Our customers are from Embassies, Corporate, Business and Industry.

We have Basic, Intermediate and Advanced levels, we also customize the lessons to suit your needs. Please contact ncass@ g e n i x v e nt u r e s .c om / C a l l: +6287888034501 Bahasa Destination — Provides the Indonesian language course programs for expats (private).

Free Trial. Please call/text/ whatsapp : +6281210112322 ( Puspita ) or visit the website : www.bahasadestination.com Experienced Writer, Marketer & Researcher. A re you still competitive in a falling market?

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Excellent references. Tel: +62812 1070111 E-mail: paulkanwar@ gmail.com Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist.

English & Bahasa Speaking.

Highly confidential. Appointment based. 081286739918 Others The Mommy is a friendly street cat who gave birth in our garden.

Kittens have been played with and handled since they were 1 week old and are very friendly, playful and loving. All have long tails! Will be ready for adoption on 17th October (at 8 weeks old).

Already litter box trained & eating dry food. Call Kelly +6282175468281

Price Rp. 400,000.E-mail or WA +6281220377299

Drummer required. An expat. blues/rock band is seeking a drummer to complete the lineup in the North Jakarta area. Call Jonathan +6281338819945.

3L Traditional BATIK Shirt, 100% New Size 3L, short sleeve KEMEJA BATIK for sale..Only 1 piece available.

Shoulder 23"(59 cm) Width 27.5" (70cm) Length 35"

We are moving soon and have to depart with our beautiful rattan set. Available 3 + 1 + 1 ( 3 seater, 1 seater, 1 seater) at IDR8million.

Excellent condition, as new.

Dimensions are as follows: 3 seater: 2.2m length, 0.9m depth x 0.65m height. 1 seater: 1m length x 0.9m depth x 0.65m height.

Contact: Surainee Blomf ield (+628568866161)

of expat favorites. Vendors will be selling a variety of items including jewelry, batik, clothes, children's it em s , le at her ba g s , sho e s , handicrafts, frames, modern furniture, specialty foods, etc.

There is something for everyone!

When: Tuesday, October 20th Time: 09:00-15:00 Location: Century Park Hotel Jl. Pintu Satu Senayan Entrance Fee: Rp. 50.000 (goes to AWA and its charities) PLUS Fabulous Raffle Prizes!

AWA FALL CHARITY BAZAAR 2015. All are welcome to the AWA Fall Charity Bazaar! Grab some friends and come enjoy a unique shopping experience with many new vendors as well as a number

We are leaving Jakarta at the end of November and have the following items for sale. We are located near Mama Rosy’s Restaurant and Ranch Market in Kemang.

Moving Sale: Have a couple of strong shelving units and kitchen racks (ace hardware). Fauzia fauzia1961@gmail.com

Pelabuhan Ratu Property

Discover Villa Gamrang.

Experience our hospitality and the complete privacy of your

own beach house. Villa Gamrang (Cisolok beach, 4 hours’ drive from Jakarta) is designed to offer guests a wonderful and luxurious holiday with beautiful and natural surroundings. Stylish interior, several outdoor terrace’s, sea view, spacious garden, swimming pool, 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, complete kitchen, cable television, internet (WiFi). Idyllic place for couples or one or two families.

Staf f and in house cater ing ava ilable. At tra c tive pr ices starting from IDR1,800,000 per night. Most of our guests visit us again. Reservations www. villagamrang.nl or just mail us at villagamrang@gmail.com

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