World Oceans Day: Conservation Success on Gili Air

Greenpeace says “Plastic is everywhere. It’s in our oceans, eaten by our fish and even in our sea salt. Plastic has invaded our natural world”.

The world has a plastic problem. Every day on my Facebook feed I see news reports and graphics showing how devastating and far reaching the effects are. This problem is 100% caused by human activity. It is humans that have done this to our world.

Tens and thousands of animals and seabirds die each year from entanglement, ingestion and suffocation.

If fish are eating plastic particles, chemicals from the plastics remain in the fish, then we eat fish. Humans are inadvertently ingesting plastic particles in the food we eat.

The 2018 World Oceans Day Action Plan is “Preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean”

We have lived on the paradise island of Gili Air, Indonesia for over a year, and have seen with our own eyes how plastic has affected our oceans, and our world. 

But all is not lost. I am humbled by the dedication and commitment of islanders and organisations who are trying to make a difference. Trying ... and succeeding. They are proof that if you work together, if you make changes, if you educate (and are prepared to learn) and more sustainable methods are taught, you CAN make a difference.

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How did plastic begin?

The word plastic derives from the Greek  word “plastikos” which means "capable of being shaped or molded”. Plastic has in fact been around for millennia in some form, but the big breakthrough, which could be considered the birth of modern plastics, was in 1907 by the Belgian-born American Leo Baekeland. The first synthetic plastic was made from fossil fuel. Later we had Polystyrene (1929), polyester (1930), PVC (1933) and nylon (1935). In the 1930’s, plastic was the height of glamour as it could be made into different colours, for example, Ginger Roger would dance around a chic white laminate interior.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that plastic started to be used in mainstream manufacturing due to its low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, and imperviousness to water. Plastics are used in a multitude of products. A recent study found that since the 1950's humans have made 9.1 billion tons of plastic; equivalent to the weight of 93,000 of the world’s heaviest aircraft carriers.

How does plastic reach the ocean?

The problem begins on land. Some of the world’s ocean trash comes from cruise ships or fishing boats, but it also “leaks” from land-based collections sites, by wind and rains sweeping debris into the ocean. If trash isn’t collected correctly in the first place, or there are limited (or no) recycling facilities, this will end up in our oceans.

​Nature is then against us … the ocean’s currents. Currents take nutrient rich waters all around the world providing life for our marine animals, but it also carries trash. That plastic bag which blew out of a bin in the Philippines can easily end up on a beach a thousand miles away in Indonesia. The extent of how far ocean debris can be carried was highlighted by Blue Planet II. Sir David Attenborough tells the story of 28,000 rubber duckies travelling as far as 17,000 miles, 25 years after a shipping container was lost in the Pacific Ocean back in 1992.

Photo source: The Sun

​Large items of plastic are caught up in oceanic currents, and the sun also breaks them down into tiny particles. This is where the real problem begins. The Small pieces of micro-plastic can travel much further with the currents, and eventually join up with other micro-plastics and discarded fishing nets to create a soupy mass.

Charles Moore with a sample of water from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Photo Source: ZME Science

There are FIVE massive floating ocean garbage patches the size of countries. These man-made soupy islands are formed from micro-plastic trash. The majority of this debris (around 79,000 tons) is discarded fishing nets. The North Atlantic Garbage Patch was first documented in 1972, and shifts as much as 1,600 km (990 mi) north and south seasonally. The Indian Ocean Garbage Patch was found in 2010.
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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is in the North Pacific Ocean and was discovered in 1997 by Captain Charles Moore. Also known as the Pacific trash vortex, it comprises the Western Garbage Patch near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California.  It’s the most famous, is twice the size of Texas, 9 feet deep covering 1.6 million sq km. As it’s so far from any country’s coastline, no nation is prepared to fund, or take responsibility for cleaning it up. Charles Moore continues to raise awareness about the Ocean’s devastating problem through his organisation “Algalita Marine Research Foundation”.

Photo source: ZME Science

Here is an extract by yachtsman Ivan Macfadyen, his story was document in the Australian Herald on 18 October 2013: “From Osaka, Japan to San Francisco, USA, for 3000 nautical miles there was nothing alive to be seen. In place of the missing life was garbage in astounding volumes. In a lot of places, we couldn't start our motor for fear of entangling the propeller in the mass of pieces of rope and cable. That's an unheard of situation, out in the ocean. On the bow, in the waters above Hawaii, you could see right down into the depths. I could see that the debris isn't just on the surface, it's all the way down. And it's all sizes, from a soft-drink bottle to pieces the size of a big car or truck. We were weaving around these pieces of debris. It was like sailing through a garbage tip. The ocean is broken"

Ivan Macfadyen aboard the Funnel Web. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

Conservation on Gili Air, Indonesia

I have seen first-hand how paradise is affected. The problem is single use plastics such as straws, disposable lighters, water bottles, crisp packets, carrier bags … my goodness, the amount of bags I have seen underwater, and sky high piles of discarded water bottles is frightening. A study by The Ocean Conservancy and World Atlas (as well as various other organisations) have revealed that China are the world's largest contributor to plastic wastage in our oceans with 8.82 tonnes annually, and Indonesia are second with 3.22 tonnes. 
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Who hasn’t seen the shocking video of a diver in the waters of Bali.

​Or the seahorse hitching a ride on a cotton bud.

​Or the turtle trying to eat a plastic bag believing it to be a jellyfish.

Photo source: Picture Alliance

​Or the photo of a dead sperm whale on the beach, it’s belly filled with plastic.

Photo source: Anon HQ

​I want to tell you that it is possible to make a difference in this world. Conservation efforts on Gili Air prove this. Gili Shark Conservation have been instrumental in changing the thought process of the island, and providing solutions to the plastic problem. It’s not just tourists and ex-pats who they are converting, but also locals and children whom they speak to in their native language of Bahasa Indonesia. Gili Shark Conservation started a #PlasticFreeParadise campaign to target many different areas, and here are just a few of the initiatives which help combat the islands’ plastic problem.

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Conservation classes at school – Every Saturday Gili Shark Conservation visit the primary school, and teach around 50 children aged 8 years old about conservation. Together with the children, they started Club Harapan which literally means “hope for the future”. Every child received a membership card, and when they attend a conservation class, or join in a conservation initiative such as an island clean up, their card is stamped. When the membership card is full they receive a #PlasticFreeParadise kit containing a bamboo straw, reusable bag and reusable bottle.

​Every child in the programme now has a #PlasticFreeParadise kit. 

#PlasticFreeParadise kit. Photo source: Gili Shark Conservation

The children are taught why plastic is bad, and why you shouldn’t use single use plastic to buy take-aways etc. Lessons alternate between presentations, small quizzes and fun colouring sessions. As part of a school clean up, they are shown which trash is organic, and are also taught about the Gili Islands marine life such as turtles and sharks.

On  2 June, Gili Shark Conservation held a flea market to raise funds for the conservation classes. They made a total of 6,200.000 IDR (£334/US $446), which is enough to hire an extra teacher to teach conservation classes for another six months.

What better way for the islands’ future than giving children tools to say no to plastic.  #PlasticFreeParadise 

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Childrens' big smiles show there is "hope for the future". Photo source: Gili Shark Conservation

​Community Days are held weekly around the island to show tourists and islanders how to upcycle. On one workshop I attended, I made a handbag out of an old t-shirt. It's really easy! If you want to make one for yourself, look at the short video demonstration in my 10 Ways to Support World Oceans Day post.

Refill My Bottle is a joint initiative with Gili Eco Trust, to reduce the amount of plastic bottles which are bought and thrown away. Caring business owners have joined together to create a network of water refill stations around Gili Air and the Gili Islands. Refill my Bottle promotes tourists (and islanders) to refill their water bottles for either a very small fee or for free. It increases sustainability and has a lasting impact on the environment, but also shows local businesses like shops and warungs, the importance of keeping the Gili’s green and clean. #RefilGiliAir #RefillYourBottle #PlasticFreeParadise

Members of the Gili Shark Conservation Team. Rose (the founder) is at the front

Free training in Bahasa is given to all businesses on the island. Through education, they aim to reduce plastic use. They teach local staff as to why it’s important to be eco-friendly, answering the much asked question “why is plastic pollution a problem and how can we keep the beautiful island green and clean?”
​#PlasticFreeParadise #FreeEducation #WorkingTogether #BecomePartOfTheSolution

Adopt a Dive Site with Project Aware. In 2017 Gili Shark Conservation adopted their favourite dive site Meno Slope. Once a week, the research team carries out an underwater clean up dive where they collect and send important information about underwater debris to the Project AWARE team, who are a marine-conservation foundation focusing on the collection of marine debris. Since the Project AWARE team started this world-wide initiative in 2011, one million pieces of debris have been removed from the ocean. #OneMillionLess 

“Small acts when multiplied by millions of people can transform the world” – Project Aware

Other island activities:

Oceans 5 Dive Centre run “Dive Against Debris”. Working with Project AWARE they run regular reef clean ups. This helps keep our oceans clean and free from pollution. For World Oceans Day 2018, not only are Oceans 5 doing a Dive Against Debris, but Gili Shark Conservation are co-ordinating with all the Dive Centres around the island to run their own. A brilliant initiative for the community, and the best way to tackle the island’s trash problem – showing a united front and doing it together!
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If you wanted to take your love for the ocean one step further, Oceans 5 also run Reef Check Courses. This course lasts for 2-3 days, you get 6 ocean dives and it teaches you how to collect data to look for healthy reefs. #DiveAgainstDebris

Trash Hero & Project AWARE Beach Clean ups. Together with many of Gili Air’s dive centres, Gili Shark Conservation have united with Trash Hero and Project AWARE to hold weekly beach and island clean ups. In return for just 45 minutes of your time, you will get the feel good factor of helping to keep this gorgeous island clean.
​#TrashHero #SayNoToPlastic #PlasticFreeParadise

​Green Fins. A few caring dive centres support Green Fins who provide International standards for an environmentally friendly diving and snorkelling industry. They have many campaigns, but specifically for ocean debris there is “Say No To Plastic”, “Don’t Litter” and, for the preservation of our ocean, there is also “No fish feeding “ 

Some restaurants are using compostable cups instead of plastic which are purchased from the Bali company Avani. Other restaurants are switching from plastic straws to either paper or bamboo straws. Yes it would be great to not have a straw at all, but people visit Gili Air are their holidays, and one is often needed for a fresh coconut or sunset cocktail. #PlasticFreeParadise

A "garbage boat" removing rubbish off GIli AIr

​Although it isn’t reducing the island’s plastic problem, people sometimes think outside of the box for ways to reuse plastic bottles.

Plastic bottles are used as planters

A Christmas Tree made out of plastic bottles

​​When my Danish friend visited, she would carry this small pouch with her to discard her empty cigarette butts. If you are smoker, why not do the same? When you are near a bin you can then throw the butts away. No more throwing on the floor or leaving them on a beach as litter.

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Yes the world has a huge plastic problem, but it’s not too late! Let me tell you a heart-warming success story of a beach in Mumbai, India which was covered with trash, it was essentially a landfill piled high with plastic. No one could walk along the beach let alone swim in the ocean. Afroz Shah was disgusted and began gathering volunteers to help clean the beach. Hundreds of people were inspired by his determination, and he started the organisation Versova Residents Volunteers. After 21 months of dedication, the thousands-strong team picked up 11,684,500lbs of trash (nearly all of it plastic). The UN awarded him the “Champion of the Earth” award, but the greatest reward came from the ocean itself. 

Versova Beach, Mumbai - before the clean up and after. Photo source: Awareness Junkie

In April 2018, it ws reported that more than 80 Olive Ridley baby turtles were spotted walking from the once trash-ridden beach into the ocean to start their new life. It had been decades since the turtles had nested and laid eggs here, because there was simply no where for them to dig. Afroz Shah said of this momentous event “I had tears in my eyes when I saw them walking towards the ocean”. 

What an amazing sight! 80 Olive Ridley turtles hatching on Versova Beach, all thanks to Afroz Shah's mission!

​What Afroz Shah did is living proof that you CAN make a difference. You CAN make a change and see a result. He is an inspiration, and the efforts made by the people on GIli Air WILL see results, if we all do it together.

Have you been shocked by the statistics in this post? Have you learnt new ways of reducing single use plastic in your life? Do you have any more suggestions you would like to share? Tell us in the comments section below.

Want to know more about the GIlis? Check out these related posts ...

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