In just 1 hour, litter found on a beach
I WenT to live on Gili Trawangan, a tiny island off the coast of Lombok, in 2012 to learn how to protect coral reefs from climate change. Working as a dive instructor, I found that the only new discoveries I made underwater were rubbish! Plastic wrappers, packets, sachets, bags and straws — there was so much litter floating in the reefs. I decided to help the Gili eco Trust, a local environmental group, to raise awareness about this issue. As well as restoring damaged coral reefs, the trust supports animal welfare, is working to reduce waste and encourages sustainable eco-tourism. Five years ago, I started Debris Free Friday. everyone on the island, from divers and tourists to the local community, is invited to clean the beaches together for an hour. It started with my friends and there are now 60 volunteers. We separate the rubbish and send it to the recycling centre the Gili eco Trust set up two years ago. We recycle more than 60 per cent of the waste we find on the beaches to ensure it doesn’t end up in landfill or the ocean again. This year, we have already collected fourand-a-half tons of plastic waste. ecobricks are made from all the wrappers that can’t be recycled. For earth Hour in March, I made a trash angel showing all the litter I had collected from the beach in that time. Businesses turned off all their lights to save energy and show us how beautiful the natural world is without rubbish. even if you live in a city, the waste you make might still be polluting our oceans or be sent to developing countries that can’t deal with their own waste crisis. To mark World Oceans Day at the weekend, I paddle-boarded between the Gili islands — a tourist destination for backpackers, divers and eco warriors — to clear the plastic that had drifted from the Lombok river. I also cleaned beaches and invited school children to help with eco chemistry experiments so they could learn about ocean acidification. A day jam-packed with environmental inspiration, games and activities helped show that every single person can change the face of the climate emergency we are entering.