When I began to research this article, I saw the huge problem that is literally choke the life out of 'island; waste. Each and every one of us produces and collective thinking is that it is the problem of someone else, when essentially we are in fact the root cause of the problem.
waste, and waste management, in fact, is a thorny issue that nobody really wants to talk. Some of the largest producers of waste in Bali, namely the major hotels, restaurants and other industries, row literally closed when I tried to talk to them regarding how they manage their waste. Seems it is taboo!
It does not take much to notice that ignoring the problem does not mean it disappears. Just take a walk along some beaches in Bali or stroll through a village to see that it will not be long before the problem reached epidemic proportions.
green and household waste is not really waste as in most cases it is bio-degradable and many households (kitchen) the waste actually ends up being reused for compost or fodder pork. It is plastic which is the sworn enemy.
Plastic. Seems we can not get enough of it, and yet really do we need?
This amazing compound has actually been around since the Middle Ages, when the cattle treated horns were used to make glass for the lantern windows.
In the early 20th century after Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanization to manufacture tires, plastic production era has assembled a powerful head of steam. In the 1940s and 50s, plastic products became part of everyday life and we all developed a love affair with polystyrene. And the most useful articles; the plastic bag!
The world now uses over a million plastic bags every minute of every day and the industry that produces them are fighting hard to keep it that way.
The humble plastic bag is now the most widespread element of consumers in the world and the main source of pollution. On the beaches and in the hinterland of Bali, plastic bags clog drains, streams and rivers and are a major contributor to flooding during the rainy season. Turtles of the coast are often found dead wrapped in bags and fish are literally poisoned because they nibble what they might be thinking about a tasty floating feast.
There is absolutely no justification for the manufacture of plastic bags, which, when discarded, can be found on the ocean floor and even on the top of Mount Agung.
So what do we do about it at Bali? In fact, not much!
There are some waste warriors who make a concerted effort to stem the tide and make a difference. I spent an afternoon with Pouillon Olivier, a spirited importation of Washington DC, which was at war on rubbish on Bali since 1994. He has worked tirelessly over the years through his company, Bali Recycling (Peduli Bali), to divert trash from the island of stacking and poison the environment.
His company provides a collection service around the island, including the collection of equipment and disposal of hazardous waste. A byproduct of much of the collected materials, it "cycles" in attractive household items that would not look out of place in the upscale most home-ware stores.
Olivier fought hard to do business successfully against the unimaginable luck, as it seems to be no corporate responsibility regarding the waste that businesses produce.
waste is a problem and do not add to the "performance" of a company, so it is something that is never discussed at meetings of finance. Apparently it is a matter of "marketing service". "Tell the consumer that we are a" green "and we are seriously committed to being" green. ""
Contrary to popular belief, Pouillon said that the majority of customers are recycling Bali Balinese households, each week diligently separate their waste and collected. So, there is a myth that must be expelled when tourists say the Balinese simply not care about their environment.
the problem in essence is not education, but rather the implementation. There is no waste management systems of government in Bali in Indonesia or a whole for that matter. Scavengers who live next to the landfill only extract the elements that can be sold and are intended to supplement and not to solve the problem. It would be nice to see a shot of magic wand authorative waved as has been done in other parts of the world where the problem is recognized, and the solution implemented before it is too late.
In China in 2008, the manufacture and distribution of plastic bags was made illegal, resulting in a reduction of over 80% of the bags in the first two years of implementation. Other Third World countries like Bangladesh have implemented the same decree. European countries are catching on with Italy, Denmark and others following the example of China.
In South Africa a levy was placed on each plastic bag, where if the consumer wanted a bag that they had to pay for it. The result? In two years, the consumption of plastic bags has dropped by a whopping 85%. A simple decree like Bali can and will generate the same reduction, guaranteed.
Corporate responsibility? Do not wait for it.
Maybe there should be individual responsibility leading the cause we just say no to plastic bags, or fill cups for drinking life, instead of buying one of three million plastic water bottles sold each day in Bali.
Collectively, residents and tourists can be a powerful force, that really we have only one Bali, so we will try everything to preserve it!
Do you recycle?
Contact Bali Recycling on .62 8199 99 622 39
www.balirecycling.com
also see the excellent work of Plastik Detox Association of Sanur
https: // www.facebook.com/plastikdetox