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Thousands join coastal clean-up in Bali
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Thousands show up to help Bali clean up its act on Friday. (JP/Ni Komang Erviani)
More than 8,000 people have joined a coastal clean-up effort across Bali.
Students, military personnel, police officers as well as local communities participated in the event on Friday, which focused on beaches and coastal waters.
Almost 14 tons of trash were reportedly collected during the event.
The coastal clean-up initiative was carried out simultaneously at Tanjung Benoa Beach in Badung regency, Masceti Beach in Gianyar regency, Nyanyi Beach in Tabanan regency, Penuktukan Beach in Buleleng regency, Gilimanuk Bay in Jembrana regency, Segara Kusamba Beach in Klungkung regency, and three beaches in Denpasar, namely Matahari Terbit Beach, Biawung Beach and Mertasari Beach.
The clean-up task had been organized by the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s Environmental Pollution and Damage Control Directorate General in cooperation with the 9th Regional Military Command (Kodam IX) Udayana.
Read also: Clean-up events shed light on Indonesia's waste crisis
"Today, our personnel is helping to clean up the beach to demonstrate our environmental awareness. We want to work together with the community to make Bali cleaner," Kodam Udayana chief of staff Brig. Gen. Kasuri told The Jakarta Post during the event.
Environmental Pollution and Damage Control Director General MR Karliansyah said the coastal clean-up was aimed both at raising people's awareness and cleaning the coastal area of trash. "Hopefully, this activity can make people more aware regarding littering on the beach, change their bad habits and help reduce the use of plastic," he added.
Based on research conducted the directorate general last year, it is estimated that the rubbish in the ocean across Indonesia totals 1.2 million tons, which mostly consisted of plastic (31.44 percent) and wood (29.75 percent).
Karliansyah said that the research was conducted across 18 regencies and cities, including Badung regency in Bali.
"In Badung, for example, the research found that wood dominated ocean trash with around 64.22 percent, while plastic trash only accounted for 13,9 percent." (kes)
