I am currently in Indonesia for 3 months to Beach CleanUps against plastic waste in the environment to organize and support existing actions. Besides my diary about my Indonesia trip, I would like to give you an overview of my CleanUp actions in Indonesia with this diary. Feel free to join our fantastic global Facebook community with Beach CleanUps from all over the world, get inspired by unique people and share your own experiences.
Nature Plastic CleanUp in Ubud (Bali)
At the beginning of my trip to Indonesia, I joined Trash Hero's Ubud, with whom I had already come into contact before I arrived. The team organizes regular CleanUp events in places that have a big problem with plastic waste in the environment. Trash Hero is not only active in Ubud, but also in many other cities. The team gives place & time and you just have to be there on the date. The equipment for collecting plastic waste is provided. So if you ever find yourself in Indonesia, support these unique people. Be sure to read the article How to organize your own Beach CleanUp through if you also feel like taking the problem into your own hands.
With 30 helpers we collected 40kg of plastic waste at this Nature CleanUp. In the middle of the city, mind you. Besides some strange looks, such CleanUps get a lot of encouragement from the people here. Of course, the goal is not only to remove plastic waste from the environment in the short term, but also to sensitize people to the issue of plastic waste in the long term and to ensure that no more plastic waste is produced in the future. Plastic waste in the environment lands.
Beach CleanUp at Pantai Purnama (near Denpasar)
This time I went to Pantai Purnama near the Balinese capital Denpasar. Sometimes I just drive off and start without planning the cleanup in advance. You get enough support from locals once you have started. At this beach I could have continued indefinitely, if the heat would not always make a line through the bill.
On 150 meters of beach (not a tourist area) I collected about the following plastic waste in a short time:
- 100 plastic cups
- 80 plastic bags
- 30 cigarette packs
- 25 single flip flops
- 20 yogurt drinks
- 10 plastic bottles
- ... and many other annoying things.
There is also a lot of plastic waste that has been lying on this beach for several years and is slowly decaying. With plastic bags you can see this wonderfully in the fact that they crumble directly as soon as you want to pick them up.
Nature Plastic CleanUp in Ubud (Bali) #2
Like the previous weekend, I was again part of a CleanUp action organized by Trash Hero in Ubud. I spent more than a week in Ubud, because I can work wonderfully here in the co-working space Hubud and can reach all regions of Bali relatively quickly by motorcycle from centrally located Ubud. Also at this CleanUp I met unique people again. Many familiar faces, but also many new motivated supporters from all over the world.
Besides Trash Hero, the team from TolTol also supported us. A great action! Together we cleaned the streets around the Puri Lukisan Museum in the center of Ubud from plastic waste. This all happened on International Coastal CleanUp Day, when many environmentally conscious people around the world started their own CleanUp actions to save the oceans from further plastic waste.
Beach CleanUp at Saba Beach (near Denpasar)
Saba Beach is very close to Pantai Purnama, where I was alone a few days ago for a quick CleanUp. At Saba Beach, the whole thing got a little bigger, as you can see in the picture. I am thrilled how many young locals support the Trash Hero movement here in Bali. That makes courage in the fight against plastic waste. With 30 helpers we collected 20 bags of plastic waste. (You can't see all of them on the photo)
At the CleanUp at Saba Beach I met Vaughan and his family from Ubud. The New Zealander has been living in Bali for 20 years and brings a lot of inspiration in the fight against marine litter. He is responsible for Trash Hero Kertalangu and organizes a CleanUp almost every day. I'm impressed every day by the positive atmosphere against plastic waste in the environment. For me, it was the most formative CleanUp in Indonesia so far.
Beach CleanUp on Gili Trawangan
On the small island of Gili Trawangan (Lombok, Indonesia) there is a lot to do! Since Gili Trawangan can be called a party island, it doesn't take long until there is new trash on the beach of the otherwise beautiful island. Together with about 30 supporters we collected about 70 kg of plastic waste! Among others, Gilt Eco Trust takes care that the plastic waste disappears from the beaches. If you are ever on the "Gili's", please support the team at the next CleanUp.
Besonders schön ist hier zu sehen, dass auch die Leute mit anpacken, die bei der Party am Vorabend „gut dabei“ waren. 😉 Der eingesammelte Plastikmüll wird nicht auf der Inseln gelagert, sondern von einem Müllboot in die nächste Recycling-Station gebracht und teilweise auch vor Ort recycelt. Hier entwickelt sich gerade so etwas wie ein eigenständiges Recycling-System. Auch auf den anderen Insel passiert etwas. Auf Gili Meno kannst du das Team von Trash Hero unterstützen.
Beach CleanUp at Senggigi Beach (Lombok)
In Lombok I have made a total of 3 CleanUps, but not all uploaded to Instagram or not always made photos. The Senggigi Beach in the west of Lombok is a popular tourist destination. The beaches also look relatively clean at first glance, but on closer inspection you quickly notice that there are many dangerous plastic parts lying here. This plastic waste is a great danger especially for turtles and marine bird species. Straws, torn off power supplies, plastic cups and Co. From a mound of earth on which I was sitting, more plastic garbage was sticking out. It is quite possible that plastic was buried here to get it out of sight quickly. There is still a lot of reconnaissance work waiting for us.
Beach CleanUp's at Canggu Beach (Bali)
Just in time for the beginning of the rainy season, the beach of Canggu on the west coast of Bali is full of plastic waste. The rain carries the garbage directly or via rivers into the sea. After the rain and the decrease of the water in the sea one has the chance to collect the plastic garbage. That's what we did. I organized the CleanUp on demand from the community in Canggu, although I myself was there only one day before. With almost 15 supporters we collected 10 big rice bags full of plastic. There is still a lot to do here!
Und auch das CleanUp zwei Tage später hat das Müllproblem in Bali offenbart. Durch den immer wieder einsetzenden Regen und Wind wird der Müll vom Inland bis an die Küste getrieben. So kommt es, das man am nächsten Tag massenhaft Plastikmüll an den Stränden einsammeln kann. Bei meinem zweiten eigenen CleanUp in Canggu haben mich netterweise zwei Freunde aus Berlin unterstützt. Vielen Dank noch einmal dafür! 🙂 Diesmal sind wir auf Jutesäcke umgestiegen. Der Müll wurde kostenfrei von der Organisation EcoBali abgeholt und zum Recycling gebracht.
River Trash Walk at Bambu Indah (Ubud)
This CleanUp at Bambu Indah Hotel takes place every morning at 7am. You don't need to bring anything, just be there. I can recommend this experience to everyone. 1) because Green School founder John Hardy is usually there and he is a positive crazy guy and 2) because it is not in the travel guide next to the many tourist suggestions! Do something that not everyone does and do something for the environment.
John Hardy packt dich mit seiner Leidenschaft und zeigt dir, wie er im Bambu Indah Hotel (genau wie auch in seiner Green School) alle Lebensmittel selber anpflanzt. Die Bambus-Gebäude sind einfach einzigartig! Beim Trash Walk von John Hardy geht man mit einer Gruppe von etwa 5-15 coolen Menschen 1-2 Stunden am Fluss entlang durch die schöne Natur und spießt mit einem Speer den Müll auf, um ihn in den Müllbeutel abzustreifen, denn du dir umgehangen hast. Es ist ein bisschen wie jagen, nur wurde eben die Jagd auf Plastikmüll eröffnet. 😉
Plastic Waste CleanUp at Lovina Beach
Here I was alone on the road and could lead many deeper conversations about the garbage on Lovina Beach. The tourism here becomes less from year to year, one of the reasons for this I tried to eliminate as well as I could: the plastic waste. Everywhere on the beach was some plastic garbage, especially a lot of small plastic pieces, which are so dangerous for the sea birds. Here I could collect some bags of garbage, before it went on to Amed, where a much worse picture should expect me.
River CleanUp in Amed
Together with a Beach CleanUp organization from Amed, a call was made here at the river for an Emergeny CleanUp, as the rain would otherwise wash all the plastic waste out of the small side channels and out of the river bed into the sea. With 20 helpers we collected 16 bags of plastic waste here. It was urgently necessary. Very frightening for me was to hear that the many plastic garbage in the small channels was only the garbage from one week! Something must happen, the CleanUps provide attention but a change of consciousness in the head of each individual is necessary!
Beach CleanUp in Amed
In our Facebook Group CareElite CleanUps gibt es von allen CleanUps noch weitere Bilder. So auch vom Beach CleanUp mit Trash Hero Amed. An einer Schule direkt am Strand lagen meterhoch Plastiktüten in den Büschen, es war unfassbar. Der gesamte Strand war hier voller Plastikmüll, wie du auf dem Foto mit den Kids erkennen kannst. Mit 7 Erwachsenen und 8 Kindern haben hier 85kg Plastikmüll eingesammelt. So erschrocken ich von dem vielen Müll an diesem Strand war, so glücklich war ich über das Engagement aller Becteiligten. Besonders die Kids haben richtig Gas gegeben. Bildung ist die einzige Chance, wie wir das Plastikmüll-Problem langfristig in den Griff bekommen. Und jetzt stelle dir einmal vor, deine Kinder räumen den Müll weg, den du verursachst. Würdest du da nicht auch umdenken? 🙂
Nature CleanUp in Ubud
It's just great when local schools also get involved in CleanUps. Because only through education can we eliminate plastic waste in the environment in the long term. Almost 40 people were involved in this CleanUp in Ubud, including two Germans from near my hometown. At this CleanUp, I noticed once again that something is really moving here in Bali and that many people are doing unique work against plastic waste in the environment.
Beach CleanUp at Pantai Mertasari (Denpasar)
Trash Hero and other organizations against plastic waste in the environment came together here. It was a unique CleanUp with an estimated 200 people. A completely covered island at Panda Mertasari became a dream island within 2 hours. This was the last CleanUp of my 3-month Indonesia trip.
Ich hatte eine fantastische Zeit in Indonesien, habe viele fantastische Menschen kennengelernt und eine Menge Beach CleanUps gestartet. Hier im CleanUp Tagebuch sind nicht einmal alle Aktionen dabei, weil ich mit den Tagebucheinträgen nicht so richtig hinterher kam. 🙂
Let's keep in mind: Here in Bali and Indonesia, a lot is happening against plastic waste. In 2018, plastic bags will finally be banned, more and more projects against plastic waste in the environment are being started and the problem with plastic is also being taught in schools. I am looking forward to the next CleanUps in 2018 and know that every CleanUp makes a difference in the world.
Ich freue mich auf deinen Kommentar, Fragen und Anregungen zum Beach CleanUp Tagebuch! 🙂
Best regards,
PS.: Come now in our worldwide Beach CleanUp FB group for more positive and inspiring actions!
