The Sociology Study Program of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Jember (UNEJ) organized an Environmental Sociology guest lecture titled “Analysis of Waste Management by the Government and School Environmental Education in Kitakyushu, Japan”<\/i> on Monday (May 18, 2026). The event, which took place from 13:30 to 17:30 WIB, featured two prominent speakers from the University of Kitakyushu, Japan: Prof. Hiroyuki Miyake and Indriyani Rachman, M.S., Ph.D.<\/p>\n
The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of Kitakyushu\u2019s journey in developing sustainable environmental governance. This was highlighted through its waste management systems, environmental education, and various social programs aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n
In his presentation, Prof. Hiroyuki Miyake explained that Kitakyushu\u2019s success as a model city for sustainable development in Japan heavily relies on active community engagement in waste management. Citizens are encouraged to strictly sort household waste based on its type and characteristics before it is collected and processed further by recycling facilities.<\/p>\n
This system is bolstered by the Kitakyushu Eco-Town, a specialized recycling industrial zone that integrates various waste treatment facilities. Within this area, diverse materials\u2014ranging from paper, metals, and PET plastic bottles to used cooking oil\u2014are reprocessed into valuable, usable goods. Waste management is thus viewed not merely as an effort to reduce refuse, but as an integral part of building a circular economy focused on sustainable resource utilization.<\/p>\n
Beyond waste management, Kitakyushu has developed extensive infrastructure to protect the environment, including wastewater treatment facilities and coastal protection systems to prevent environmental pollution. Another compelling initiative is the practice of upcycling, where discarded materials such as kimono fabrics and textile scraps are repurposed into eco-friendly shopping bags and other economically valuable products.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indriyani Rachman, M.S., Ph.D., emphasized the critical role of environmental education as the foundation for fostering a culture of sustainability within society. According to her, environmental education in Kitakyushu is not limited to classroom theories but is actively integrated into daily school activities.<\/p>\n
One of the implemented practices is Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which utilizes a learning calendar to embed sustainability issues into various academic subjects. Students are encouraged to understand the relationship between human activities and the environment through hands-on experiences, such as managing organic waste, composting, and gardening\u2014the yields of which are shared collectively.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the audience was introduced to the Machitanken<\/i> program, or environmental exploration. This activity encourages students to observe their surrounding environment as part of the learning process. This approach is deemed highly effective in instilling environmental awareness from an early age while strengthening the bond between schools and the local community.<\/p>\nIntegrating Social and Environmental Issues<\/b><\/h3>\n
The guest lecture also discussed the role of social organizations in addressing both environmental and social welfare challenges. A notable example presented was the Food Bank Kitakyushu (FBK) Life Again<\/i>, which manages the distribution of surplus food from households and corporations to marginalized groups. This initiative not only contributes to reducing food waste but also supports poverty alleviation and child welfare.<\/p>\n
Through programs like the Children\u2019s Restaurant<\/i> and Step Up Cram School<\/i>, this organization provides learning spaces, educational support, and access to nutritious food for children from underprivileged families. These initiatives demonstrate that environmental and social issues can be addressed simultaneously through an integrated approach.<\/p>\n
During the discussion session, both speakers highlighted global environmental challenges, particularly the issue of plastic and microplastic pollution that increasingly threatens marine ecosystems and human health. Therefore, individual behavioral changes\u2014such as reducing single-use plastics, practicing energy efficiency, and fostering a deep appreciation for resources to prevent waste\u2014are deemed crucial in supporting sustainable development.<\/p>\n
Through this event, students gained valuable insights into how government policies, educational systems, industries, social organizations, and public participation can complement one another to achieve sustainable development. The experience of Kitakyushu City shows that sustainability is not just a matter of technology or regulation, but the result of a continuous social learning process within society.<\/p>\n
This guest lecture is part of the ongoing efforts by the Sociology Study Program at the University of Jember to enrich students’ perspectives on global environmental issues while strengthening international academic collaboration in the field of environmental sociology and sustainable development.<\/p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ theme_builder_area=”post_content” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″ theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_post_slider _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” theme_builder_area=”post_content” include_categories=”all” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_post_slider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Sociology Study Program of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Jember (UNEJ) organized an Environmental Sociology guest lecture titled “Analysis of Waste Management by the Government and School Environmental Education in Kitakyushu, Japan” on Monday (May 18, 2026). The event, which took place from 13:30 to 17:30 WIB, featured […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3975"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3980,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3975\/revisions\/3980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.fisip.unej.ac.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}