The phrase “Jalan Jalan” implies a sort of walkabout in the broader world. For four hours every Wednesday, high school students take part in Kinitiative designed to provide space for longer-term engagement in projects with real impact in the world.

“Where does it go?” is the theme for Year Nine students taking part in projects this term which all focus on waste and pollution.

At the moment the projects running are: looking at school transportation, with a focus on a possible bio-diesel bus; restoration of the Ayung River watershed; and reimagining the waste management process on campus, specifically through a redesign of the recycling and waste bins.

Parent mentors from the Green Team (a body of parents supporting sustainability projects within the school community) pitched their passion projects to the students, and won student volunteers. Students are now actively working with the parent mentors and faculty organizing team to move the projects forward, as equal partners in vision and execution.

Grade nine students collaborate their ideas with a fellow team member - a teacher

Grade nine students collaborate their ideas with a fellow team member – a teacher

This week, the Bamboo News Magazine team visited the “revamping of the recycling bins” group. The group used a “Design Thinking” process to improve the bins’ appeal, their educative purpose, and their practicality. The broader goal is to improve the rubbish situation at the Green School.

With all of the current ventures still in the early stages, the lesson we were privy to consisted of brainstorming the basic necessities, features and practicalities of the bins.

The team ranking their believed importance of different features of the bins

Ranking the importance of different aspects of the bins

A prototype, where bins with specific features were “designed” on paper by each participant, was shared out to the larger group. One thing that particularly stood out in the team’s conversations was the wish (and need) for an interactive, novel element to the bins themselves.

This lead to some really exciting ideas involving  the elements of fire and smoke. Be warned: the grade nine students, teachers, and parents taking part in this project are set to make a real difference to how you go about disposing of your rubbish in the future!

Explaining a potential bin design

Explaining a potential bin design

Bamboo News Magazine will keep you updated on how this endeavor prospers in the future, as well information on the other Jalan Jalan projects. Best of luck to all involved!