Plastik Tidak Fantastik (Plastic can be Not Fantastic)
Bye-Bye Plastic Bags can be a well-known social initiative driven by a team of 25 volunteer children who attend local as well as also international schools. These progressive as well as also insightful environmentalists are inside the process of banning the use, sale as well as also production of plastic bags in Bali, by January 2015, with their campaign.
Inspired by a study about significant people as well as also emulating their heroes, such as Nelson Mandela, Lady Diana as well as also Martin Luther King, the young Wilsen sisters decided they wanted to become significant too. Melati, age13, as well as also Isabel, age11, are both students at the Green School, where they became aware of the fact of which mass consumption of plastic products has created a plastic wasteland on Bali.
“Actually, we always saw more garbage than in various other countries inside the West, however the last few years the idea has become worse. Or maybe we are at an age where we feel we have to take care of our island. We have to take responsibility as well as also cannot keep on standing by the sideline if the government will not seriously commit.”
Being aware of the complex garbage problem of which currently exists on the island, they decided to focus on a manageable as well as also feasible issue, to reduce, as well as also if possible, ban single-use plastic bags coming from Bali. Bye-Bye Plastic Bags was founded in October 2013, when the girls made a presentation at the GIN Conference.
“We could definitely, definitely like to meet Governor Pastika, however we have had no luck so far. We want to make him our hero. We do not need or want anything coming from Bapak of which he has not already stated or promised. A law to ban plastic bags can be already in many various other countries. the idea’s easy; just say NO to Plastic Bags!”
BBPB are essentially “warming up” those people who can implement a final solution to address Bali’s larger as well as also significant garbage problem. Melati as well as also Isabel consider ‘Saying NO to Plastic’ as the first step toward awareness, one of which will encourage a positive attitude as well as also willingness for change inside the community.
“Our pilot village can be called Pererenan. We chose This kind of village in January as well as also had three months worth of meetings. There can be an organization called PGL (Pererenan Gumi Lestari) who were already active maintaining as well as also improving shrimp inside the river, trees, as well as also birds. Say NO to Plastic fitted very well with their program. In addition, the village head, Bapak Ketut has been super supportive coming from the start.”
the idea took another three months of introducing ‘Say NO to Plastic’ to local schools as well as also throughout every village organization or banjar. BBPB organized sports days, clean ups, as well as also created a presentation team, media team, fundraising team as well as also a bag team. The group handed out a set of three bags to every Indonesian family (KK) as well as also handed out alternatives bags to all shops as well as also warungs. the idea was felt of which monitoring as well as also follow up was the key issue to see if the pilot village definitely could become a ‘plastic bag free zone’ after nine months of efforts.
“We handed out 800 bags for each family of the desa, a set of three washable bags, smaller, medium as well as also large. Another 1,000 paper bags were handed out to warungs as well as also shops as well as also on June 21 another 600 reusable bags to the shops.”
BBPB soon learned of which without the help as well as also support of locals, modifications could not occur. They made contact with the head of the village, the head of the banjar as well as also the PKK (women’s collective). On a government level, the Camat supports Bye-Bye Plastic Bag. They are also supported by like-minded organizations such as the Green School, Jari Menari, Canggu Rotary, Tas Pasar, as well as also Eco Bali.
“We have known Paula as well as also the service of Eco Bali for a long time so we contacted her for professional advice. Then one thing led to another as well as also we made the bags together. They even joined in with the banjar meetings as well as also hopefully Eco Bali will be a part of our team inside the next village.”
Bye-Bye Plastic Bags present a multi-layer approach consisting of presentations at local as well as also international schools, an online petition, general awareness for NO plastic with walks, talks, as well as also clean ups. They are sure to inspire various other schools as well as also young people worldwide to start their own campaigns. BBPB have been on TV many times, as well as also appeared in publications, in magazines as well as also newspapers.
“We all love Bali as the island of temples, smiles as well as also rice fields. however currently the idea’s more famous as the island of garbage! We are planning our next programs for a village close to Ubud as well as also probably our own village Pantai Seseh. We want the government to support our campaign, so we can cover the whole of Bali.”
Realizing the importance of spreading awareness, BBPB have organised fun events, such as Flash Mobs as well as also the recent Plastik Tidak Fantastik Festival, which was held in June at the Green School as well as also raised almost 45 million Rupiah. The day included competitions to create art coming from plastic, a fashion show displaying clothes made coming from plastic, workshops, poetry, songs, as well as also environmental movies. The Green School has since integrated BBPB as a part of their curriculum.
What a wonderful initiative! We must all support the BBPB team, with their never-ending positive energy, to preserve beautiful Bali for future generations.
Sign the petition at www.avaaz.org as well as also search for ‘Bye-Bye Plastic Bags on Bali’.
www.bye-byeplasticbags.com
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Plastik Tidak Fantastik (Plastic can be Not Fantastic)
Plastik Tidak Fantastik (Plastic can be Not Fantastic)