*Photo: More than 60 youths joined the beach cleanup organized by Eco4Shore in Kelan Beach in Bali last August 16.
Reported by Nathania Karina Anggraini, Johanna Gracia Sunarno, Ni Wayan Dina Wiantari, Vanessa Lee
On August 16th, Eco4Shore organized a competitive beach cleanup at Kelan Beach in collaboration with SMA TRJ as part of Sports Day, celebrating Indonesian Independence Day. The event saw the participation of over 60 people, resulting in the collection of more than 290 kg of trash.
1. Key takeaways
- The beach cleanup was a significant success, with participants collecting 290 kg of trash in just 1 hour and 30 minutes. The majority of the waste consisted of plastic, Styrofoam, wooden planks, and a notable amount of cloth. This activity highlighted the alarming amount of trash present on the beach and underscored the importance of keeping Bali’s tourist beaches clean and beautiful.
- Working as a team proved highly effective, as participants were motivated to collect as much trash as possible. Initially, each team was expected to fill 1-2 bags, but they exceeded expectations, continuously asking for more bags to fill.
2. Main highlights
In collaboration with SMA and SMP High School, Eco4Shore organized a beach cleanup at Pantai Kelan in Tuban, Kec. Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali. The event was generously sponsored by PT Royal Total International and saw the enthusiastic participation of over 60 students and teachers.
The event began with an explanation of the rules and the purpose of the beach cleanup. Once the competition started, participants eagerly collected trash.
After the cleanup, the trash was weighed, and participants enjoyed food sponsored by PT Royal Total International while watching the sunset. They also signed a guest book to commemorate the event.
The team named Tolstoy emerged as the beach cleanup champions, collecting the most trash and earning bonus points for gathering plastic bottles and Styrofoam.
Feedback from students:
- “I feel really happy and it was fun because we got plus points for plastic bottles and Styrofoam, so I was hunting for them. I found quite a lot of plastic bottles.”
- “We feel refreshed. We did not realize how dirty our beaches are in Bali and cleaning the beach is something we find important because Bali is an island with many beautiful beaches, and we’re grateful we got to participate in this beach cleanup.”
Feedback from teachers:
- “Actually, it felt great because, in our own little way, we are helping the environment. It doesn’t matter if we get a lot, but if we start with small steps, then this movement will become bigger.”
- “Personally, I had a great time doing this, and it is an advocacy that we clean up. No matter how vast the land is, we should clean up. I feel so good and great to be part of this clean-up drive.”
- “This was a great experience. Cleaning up the beach and restoring the shore is very significant, especially for our environment and the community that lives here. After all, we are connected with the ecosystem, so caring for the environment means caring for ourselves.”
The event was a resounding success, fostering a sense of community and environmental responsibility among participants.
