T

he amount of trash in Bali is terrifying. The south of Bali alone produces 240 tonnes of trash every day.

It is high time for us to do something about this situation. The Balinese administration promised the island that as soon as 1 million people signed the petition to get rid of all plastic bags, Balinese Governor Made Mangku Pastika will cease the distribution of plastic bags.

Currently, we only have roughly 50,000 signatures.

It is time for us to participate in action before we lose our home.

Twenty four hours a day, more and more litter form a swarm of hell. It has been proven that the trash and pollution that has been released on this tiny island has given people cancer.

Without paying any heed, Bali produces about 20,000 cubic meters of garbage every single day. Out of this, not even 25 percent of it is collected. It is usually dumped.

As to official disposal services, the dump in Suwung, which has eaten up more than 44 hectares of valuable mangrove, is proving devastating, even with huge raised dikes being constructed. One of the filthiest beaches in Bali is Kuta Beach. People judge the beach without stepping on to it. Tourists and locals are barely able to sunbath or even walk on it without being distributed by the trash and plastic that invades the beach.

As I have said, Bali cannot take this plague upon itself any longer. For years Bali has struggled with this poison that we have created. It is now our job to stand up and cure Bali and not just let ourselves live, but to allow our precious island to survive.

Javan Hardy
Bali