I am super excited this morning headed to the airport with Ani. We’re off to Jombang, East Java, for a long planned, three day, Training of Trainer Workshop in a part of Indonesia where ecobricks have been really taken off. Our friends Shanti and Setio (who joined a similar ToT by Ani and I in Jogja only a year ago), have been spreading ecobricks like crazy in East Java– to schools, community groups, municipal and provincial government officials. The result is that ecobricking is now so widespread, that there is overwhelming interest from community leaders to take their ecobricking to the next level with an in depth workshop. Ani and I have been intending to visit for a long time now and are overjoyed to see what Shanti and her students have been up to, and help support in any way we can.
We’re joined by two good Bali friends Riri and Ruby, who will be joining as our students! This should be fun (I can’t wait to pick on them in the audience!). In addition, as word has got out about the Training of Trainers this past month, we have got more Ecobrickers confirmed from all over the country.
Unlike some of our previous ToTs, we’re now expecting people with a year or more of ecobricking making and disseminating experience. Likewise in Jombang, we’ll have the chance to visit schools and groups that have been going at it for over a year and now have thousands of Ecobricks! We can’t wait to hear their stories and see their co-creations.
It’s key to remember why Ani and I are making the trip, and why we are united in our ecobricking: every day tons of plastic are slipping through our fingers, passing from our homes into the fields, forest, rivers and oceans. The very same ones that our children’s children will be playing in one day. Not to mention the children of all the other species around us. In the next days, as we unite with 50 keen, committed, and connected leaders we have an unprecedented opportunity to make a dent in that flow of plastic. Imagine, 50 trainers going home and each leading a dozen workshops each, of 40 students each workshops (our past workshop estimated average). Suddenly… The plastic isn’t so much a problem, as it is a fabulous uniting, consciousness raising and co-creative opportunity.
Please keep Ani and I in your prayers and thoughts as this potency laden moment unfolds.
