Regrettably, there are no beaches in Bali free from plastic pollution. Each year, an astounding 300,000 tons of plastic waste is generated on the island.
I live in the Caribbean. The depths of the head in the sandedness is astounding. The locals and tourists alike prefer plastic bottles over cans and glass. The staple snack here is frito-lay brand chips, and the regional past time is dropping your trash in front of each other and pretending not to notice. Single-use plastic is illegal, as is Styrofoam, but order takeout and see what you get. Yesterday was Valentine’s day, so today the roads and the beach are littered with the plastic you wrap around roses.
I expected the locals to be keyed in and doing anything to save their fragile ecology, but dammit if a $14 bag of doritos and a bottle of coke aren’t somehow better than the locally made snacks in paper bags and coconut water from the coconut.
Sorry for the sad rant. As a reader of Ranger Rick in the 80’s, I thought we’d have this locked by now. I underestimated the drive of short term profit.
