A second rural excursion, a final panel discussion and further project brainstorming occupied delegates on the penultimate day of the conference.
Smog might have concealed the distant horizon, but the eyes and attention of delegates were firmly on the lush greenery around them during a visit to the Bumi Langit Permaculture Institute in Imogiri, Bantul Regency.
The morning excursion on the third day of CAUSINDY 2023 saw delegates inspired by Mas Tantra and his father Pak Iskandar at Bumi Langit, where there was a thick layer of leaves underfoot and the smell of fermenting tempeh in the air.
Delegates and mentors were taken on a tour of the facility and later instructed about through the tempeh production process, from soaking to boiling to drying to mixing and more.
The lively Mas Tantra explained the values-based, rather than profit-based, rationale for Bumi Langit, which has been in action on the same property for the past 20-odd years.
“When you create a significant change in the foundation [of something], you can harness its energy,” he said. “But the biggest problem is self-control, because if you don’t have self-control, the energy will explode.
“Right now there is so much information about the issues in the world, but no one is producing [solutions].”
The session received an injection of philosophical and spiritual musings as Mas Tantra confessed that Indonesia needs to first contemplate the most effective approach to sustainability before taking action.
“We need to reach a certain level of understanding of geopolitics before we understand sustainability,” he said. “It’s time to reflect on what we want to invest in the future… We’ve still got a long journey.”
The meditative setting also offered an opportunity for personal reflection.
“This place offers something we all need – to restore our primordial relationship with nature,” said Pak Iskandar. “Modern life has detached us from that.”
Impact reduction techniques
Day three continued with the Environment panel in the afternoon.
Strategic marketing professional Adi Septiawan shared how Mana Earthly Paradise, a sustainable tourism company in Bali, remains conscious of its environmental impacts when navigating tourists’ demand.
“We’re a certified B Corp,” he told the assembled delegates. “We are really taking responsibility for how we operate our business. We only have six rooms, which is also helping us to be more sustainable, reducing the amount of consumption.”
The day continued with another CAUSINDY Review session, where delegates picked up on their initial brainstorming and project ideation from day one, and further explored ways to bring sustainable tourism projects from initial concept to concrete reality.
And in the evening, all CAUSINDY 2023 participants were treated to a special Gala Dinner full of social and professional networking opportunities.
Don’t miss live coverage of the final day of the conference on our Instagram page tomorrow.