Local problems often call for local, simple solutions – and one such idea was born in the heart of Jakarta. In this vibrant metropolis, where the streets are filled with the aroma of traditional dishes, a concept emerged that not only addresses waste but also sparks a new sustainability-driven economy.
The first step taken by the creative startup Boolet and the company Dentsu Indonesia was to ask a crucial question: “What do we have in abundance, and throw away every day?”
The answer was obvious – wooden skewers and chopsticks.
Every day on the streets of Jakarta, tons of used skewers are carelessly discarded after the consumption of popular dishes. These small, seemingly worthless items pile up in landfills, pollute the environment, and pose risks to sanitation workers. Indonesia produces as much as 15,000 tons of these single-use sticks annually, while awareness about their recycling remains low.
That’s why Dentsu Indonesia launched the “Re-Skewer” campaign – an innovative project that transforms this waste into charcoal briquettes, intended for the very people who generate it daily — street food vendors. Through a smart combination of education, incentives, and recycling, the project not only reduces waste but restores its value to the community.
But the idea doesn’t stop with briquettes. Since its founding, Boolet has pursued a vision of turning used sticks into everyday products — elegant eyeglass frames, phone holders, coasters, and other wooden items. While these products were initially made possible only through donations from individuals and companies, Boolet is now actively aligning its mission with the real needs of small entrepreneurs — the same community that is both the source of the problem and the key to the solution.
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Thanks to research, development, and collaboration with local laboratories, Boolet also developed sustainable briquette packaging made from recycled skewers — practical, recyclable, and tailored to the needs of street vendors.
This initiative from Jakarta shows how a simple idea, rooted in local reality, can trigger a wave of change. When creativity merges with social responsibility, even the things we throw away daily can become fuel for a better, more sustainable future.
The campaign is already delivering tangible results. In just one day, enough waste was collected to produce 45 kilograms of charcoal briquettes. This success not only reduced landfill waste but also cut costs for vendors, introduced them to the world of the circular economy, and demonstrated how powerful a well-designed local initiative can be.
“Skewer by skewer — that’s how we change the world. Creativity born from empathy and an understanding of local culture has the power to create real, tangible impact,” said Ranga Imanuel, Executive Creative Director at Dentsu Indonesia.
The campaign has already won a Bronze award at the prestigious Citra Pariwara 2024 competition, in the Best User Experience and Event category. And this is just the beginning. Boolet is already planning to expand into other cities, opening doors to new communities, vendors, and artisans – people who create every day, yet unknowingly discard what could become part of the solution.
So maybe it’s time we ask ourselves: What do we have in abundance, yet fail to notice?
What resource in our own community is waiting to be recognized, repurposed, revalued?
Just like in Jakarta — where ordinary discarded sticks became a spark for change — our own towns and villages surely hold hidden potential, forgotten materials, ideas just waiting for someone to look at them differently.
Because often, the greatest changes begin with the smallest things.
