Unpredictable seasons, rising heatwaves, heavier rainfall, extreme floods, cyclones, and prolonged drought – all show how much more intense the weather has become in recent years. These are not random events but signals that climate change is speeding up. Its impacts are already present in our daily lives, affecting our food supply, clean water access, health, and the safety of our homes and communities. 

The World Meteorogical Organization recently confirmed that last 2024 was the warmest year ever recorded since 1850. The past decade has also been the hottest on record, marking an alarming pattern of rapid global warming. 

By 2030, climate change is projected to push between 32 and 132 million more people into extreme poverty. Meanwhile, global ice loss has surged from 0.8 trillion tonnes per year in the 1990s to 1.3 trillion tonnes annually by 2017. As ice melts, sea levels rise — increasing the risk of coastal flooding, especially in archipelagic nations like Indonesia. This threatens coastal communities, ecosystems, and wildlife habitats, making climate mitigation more urgent than ever. 

Speaking about the climate impacts we are witnessing today, during the tree-planting event with Trees4Trees and Jaya Obayashi in the GIIC industrial area, Cikarang, Trees4Trees ambassadors Tantri Syalindri (lead vocalist of Kotak Band) and Arda Hatna (solo singer) shared how each of us can play a role in slowing climate change, starting from simple, everyday actions. 

A Reflection Inspired by a Movie 

Arda shared that his awareness of environmental protection grew after witnessing unusual weather patterns in recent years. “I’ve realized how enormous and visible the effects of climate change have become. We can feel it directly – the seasons are no longer predictable; the dry season lasts too long, and the rainy season can be just as extreme. Diseases and viruses are also appearing more frequently. I believe climate change plays a major role in all of this,” he said. 

Interestingly, beyond the changing weather, his deeper self-awareness was sparked by reflecting on an antagonist character from a movie.  

“Honestly, I became more interested in environmental issues in 2019, after watching the Avengers movie,” he shared. “The villain, Thanos, wanted to wipe out half of the world’s population because he believed the Earth couldn’t sustain billions of people and provide all human needs. After watching it, I started to wonder – was he wrong, or was there a point? If we keep using up natural resources without giving anything back, eventually the planet won’t survive and neither will we.” 

He went on to explain that this also applies to trees. “If we cut them down to fulfill our needs, we must also replant them. If we only take and never restore, that greed will destroy our own future.” 

Engaging the Family in Better Habits  

Arda also emphasized that climate change is largely driven by human activities and often begins with small bad habits, even within our homes. “For example, using electricity 24 hours a day. Whether we realize it or not, we’re contributing to the climate problem.” He admitted that these habits still exist in his own household, which is why change must begin with daily actions. 

Echoing Arda’s message, Tantri shared that she has also felt the impact of extreme weather and believes the first step toward helping the environment can start from home. “We began by improving our family’s daily habits through small actions,” she said. “We have two children, and we try to lead by example – like not littering and teaching them why waste shouldn’t be thrown carelessly. We also plant trees at home. Some of the trees were planted together with our kids. We gave them planting kits so they could plant on their own.” 

Start with Small Actions: Planting Trees 

As musicians, Tantri and her band Kotak began raising environmental awareness as early as 2017 through one of their campaigns. “We were already anxious about the state of the planet back then. Things have only gotten worse today,” she said. Continuing that mission, she now wants to take real action by working with Trees4Trees to help green the Earth – aligning with the spirit of Kotak’s song Hijaukan Bumi (Greening the Earth). 

Recently, together with around 50 volunteers from Jaya Obayashi, Tantri and Arda joined a tree-planting event as part of their commitment to speak up for environmental protection and climate action. The activity is also part of an effort to balance nature with industrial growth through urban forestry within the GIIC industrial area. 

“This is our small step to contribute to the Earth, and we hope it will inspire others. We hope the trees we plant become part of the solution to today’s climate challenges. As they grow, they will help absorb emissions – especially in this industrial zone and restore some balance to the environment,” Tantri said. 

Arda added that planting trees may look like a small gesture, but when done collectively, it becomes powerful.  

“I believe Earth doesn’t need superheroes. It only needs many people who care enough to protect it. Because together, we can build a greater movement for this planet – our shared home,” he concluded.  

Writer: V. Arnila Wulandani. Photos: Yulianisa Dessenita