Think Outside The Box

In a well-received speech to the delegates at the Bali Climate Change Conference in December, SBY was able to convince the USA delegation that to avoid universal condemnation, they ought to join the global consensus. This is part of what he said:

Future generations will remember whether we rose to the occasion and seized the opportunity before us or let it slip through our fingers. Too much is at stake. It is time to think outside the box.

I commented then that with the destruction of Indonesia's rainforests and the country's reputation as the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gases through the draining of its peatlands, then perhaps Indonesia should make an effort to put its own house in order.

The principle is simple: people in greenhouses shouldn't throw stones.

There are some obvious macro solutions such as a moratorium on the issuance of logging and plantation permits whilst a thorough environmental audit is conducted of those projects underway. However, it is the small initiatives which have the greatest consequences. After all, every tall tree starts off as a seedling.

As Jakartass, I am asking folk to join in a group writing exercise. This site will host the contributions, with links from my blog and yours too. I hope that this site will develop a a life of its own and serve as a think tank. Who knows, but SBY might even thank us.

Which folk?
Anyone who has the best interests of Indonesia and its multifarious folk at heart.

Writing what?
Just think outside the box about how you think Indonesia could be a better place for all. Please email me with your suggestions, questions and, hopefully, contributions. These are some possible topics/titles.

-- If I were SBY
-- Keep it simple!
-- Lost generations* ~ taken by Gradgrind
-- Leftovers are all right
-- The Literacy of Littering* ~ taken by Dominic
-- Education for ALL ages?* ~ taken by Indonesia Anonymus
-- Your country needs YOU
-- If I were Jakarta's governor* ~ taken by Jakarta Urbanblog
-- Indonesia - a model democracy?
-- What I'd like to teach the teachers* ~ taken by Dr. Bruce
-- Now, why didn't they think of that?
-- Alternative uses for shopping malls.* ~ taken by The Count
-- A healthy nation is a wealthy nation.
-- Psychology and Indonesian social ethics* ~ taken by Marisa Duma
-- How religions can help offset climate change
-- The world I'd like your grandchildren to live in
-- When the oil runs out and the plantations run dry ....* ~ taken by Dilligaf
-- Were things better when our grandparents were children?

What if .....
--- no-one had A/C?
--- no-one 'owned' land?*~ written by Miko
--- everyone obeyed the law?
--- we thought before we ate?
--- Jakarta was permanently flooded?* ~ written by Jakartass
--- every Indonesian had easy internet access?* ~ taken by Marek
--- the State paid everyone a basic social wage?

10-point plans
--- Create a civil society.
--- Solve Jakarta's transport problems* ~ taken by Indramin
--- Solve Jakarta's waste management problems* ~ taken by Toshihiko Atsuyama

Writing style?
From academic to awful, from serious to satirical, from readable to risible ~ whatever you're comfortable with.

Some recommended background reading
World Changing
Changing the World by Danny Hillis
Whole Earth Catalog
Isman asks 'What if ...?
Ten People Who Could Change The World

An aside: A good friend suggested that perhaps Indonesians should first think inside the box. How else can one explain the well-reported fact that one reason for the delay in reaching a consensus at the Bali Conference was that there were only four photocopy machines servicing the delegates from 188 countries?
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Acknowledgment
The idea for this group writing effort owes its genesis to Pelf in Malaysia. and, of course, SBY.