At Flossie and the Beach Cleaners, we are incredibly proud to be the only charity that runs a Student Environmental Programme in Indonesia. Rather than building schools in various developing countries, we provide students with an invaluable insight into frontline Climate Change and offer them environmental career ideas for their future. Here’s a glimpse into this year’s trip and our experiences.
Our journey began with a visit to ‘Bening Saguling,’ one of our Eco schools on the Citarum River near Bandung, Java. The children pay for their education with plastic bottles their fathers collect from the river. Once fishing for fish, these fathers now fish for plastic as the river is too polluted for fish. The boats we donate to the school collect up to 1.5 tonnes of pollution daily by hand. Despite investing in machinery, manual clean-up proves most effective due to frequent breakdowns caused by debris. During our visit, we found a mix of waste, including a half-rotten Louis Vuitton shoe and a dead fish trapped in a plastic bag. Unfortunately, pollution levels have worsened since our last visit 18 months ago.
We then toured Java’s only plastic recycling factory and engaged in a Q&A session about potential initiatives, such as reusable water bottles and local recycling bins. They are trying to manage food waste with maggots, but Indonesia’s lack of infrastructure remains a significant barrier. Another conservation trust we collaborate with is ‘Equator ID,’ led by Mr. Julius. This trust works alongside the military to clean the Citarum River. We donate boats for daily clean-ups and flood rescues, saving countless lives. Despite limited funding, we are proud of our impact in a country severely affected by Climate Change.
A highlight of our trip was witnessing ‘Zombie Fish,’ the only species surviving the river’s toxins. These fish revive after months out of water due to parasitic worms waiting for moisture. Efforts to reintroduce other fish species have been futile due to the extreme pollution.
Near Jakarta, we encountered a 9KM floating island of pollution, dispersed by a recent storm. Standing on these ‘icebergs’ of debris was surreal and heartbreaking, underscoring the urgent need for governmental action. We also visited an underwater fishing village, submerged due to rising sea levels. The displaced community now lives in squalor, facing an uncertain future with impending Climate Change threats.
Our second week took us to Bali and Gili Trawangan. Despite Bali’s tourist appeal, we were horrified by the plastic pollution. Collaborating with Sungai Watch, we joined river clean-ups, collecting nearly a tonne of waste in just two hours. In Gili Trawangan, we worked with Chili Community and Gili Eco Trust, teaching children about environmental sustainability in challenging contexts. In the afternoons, our activities varied, and we participated in a workshop on coral propagation, learning about biorocks. Six years ago, a severe earthquake struck Lombok and the Gili Islands, devastating a vast stretch of coral and leaving marine life without a food source. When we visited five years ago, you could swim in the sea without seeing a single fish—all you saw was dead coral. However, thanks to the efforts of the conservation group **Gili Eco Trust**, the biosphere is beginning to thrive again due to their coral planting initiatives.
Gili Eco Trust constructs steel rod sculptures, attaches a small electrical current, and adds baby live coral. After a few months, the steel rod disappears, replaced by a massive coral formation teeming with beautiful marine life. Gili Eco Trust dedicates its efforts to planting corals and saving turtles from poachers and tourists, while also tackling the overwhelming plastic pollution in the area.
We also toured the ‘dark’ side of the island. Despite minimal funding and significant challenges with the government, Gili Eco Trust managed to build a recycling centre next to the island’s landfill. Unfortunately, the landfill often catches fire due to methane build-up, and a herd of cows living there consume plastic packaging as their primary diet, which is heartbreaking. The methane and the cows’ burping cause fires that can burn for weeks, releasing toxic fumes into the air.
The recurring issue is the lack of government-provided bins and a proper recycling system. Additionally, the influx of giant 5-star hotels exacerbates the problem. Tourists spending €10,000 or more on their holiday often ignore the pollution issue and the plight of families living in tin shacks, surviving on plastic sachets of food supplied by companies like Glaxo Kline Smith, Unilever, and Nestle. Tourists seek to swim with turtles in crystal-clear waters and capture idyllic moments for social media, oblivious to the plastic-choked beaches around them.
The hoteliers’ greed and ignorance contribute to the problem, creating a ‘Catch 22’ situation where the islanders rely on tourism for survival, yet suffer from the environmental degradation it brings.
Our Student Environmental Programme offers a unique and eye-opening experience, fostering a deeper understanding of Climate Change’s impact and inspiring future environmental leaders. If you or someone you know is interested in joining on our next Environment Programme in Indonesia contact us at info@floss.ie
