Abstract
The linear economy model has led to severe environmental degradation, prompting a shift toward the circular economy (CE) framework to promote sustainability. However, CE literature often overlooks grassroots, community-based initiatives in urban contexts, particularly in the Global South. This study addresses that gap by examining waste banks in Semarang, Indonesia, highlighting the critical importance of these grassroots initiatives within the broader discourse of community engagement. Using an ethnographic approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and open-ended survey responses across multiple community waste banks. The findings reveal the complex interdependence of four key actors—waste banks, itinerant collectors, scavengers, and collectors—each guided by distinct value logics, including care-based, livelihood-based, and profit-oriented logics. While economic incentives exist, moral and ecological motivations are dominant. This research provides empirical insight into how grassroots CE practices foster active community participation, directly advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Ultimately, the study offers a novel contribution to community engagement literature by demonstrating the embedded social and cultural dynamics that shape localized, sustainable urban development in Indonesia.
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Recommended Citation
Rahoyo, Rahoyo; Susilowati, Teti; Purwantini, Sri; Sachius, Darto; and Therik, Wilson M. A.
(2026).
Ethnographic Insights Into Community-Based Circular Economy: The Case of Waste Banks in Semarang.
ASEAN Journal of Community Engagement, 10(1), 30-51.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.7454/ajce.v10i1.1419
