A Yayasan in Kerobokan. A recycling depot in Jimbaran. A health food store and café in Ubud and an upmarket restaurant/gallery in Sayan. At first it might seem that these groups would have little in common, but in fact they are links in a chain of concerned communities working together for a cleaner, more sustainable environment in Bali.
Culturally, people who collect garbage or work in waste management industries are looked down on by Indonesians of all social levels. The ubiquitous pemulung who pedal around the towns collecting plastic and paper in their bicycle carriers are denied access to many homes and banjars. This attitude makes it difficult to even open discussions about recycling at a community level, but Yayasan Wisnu has been devoting itself to this challenging task since 1993. The first Yaysan (non-government organization) created by Indonesians to address environmental issues in Bali, the Wisnu Foundation was founded by seven Indonesians who had businesses in Bali and were concerned by the impact of rapid development and tourism.
" We saw that from a society where waste had been manageable, the situation was changing quickly, " says I Made Suarnatha, a director of the Foundation. "Suddenly there was a lot more plastic, packaging, paper and cans that needed to be dealt with. To this day, there is no government or community system to deal with solid waste in Bali." There is no baseline data on waste management, and what data the government has collected is considered questionable by waste management experts.
Wisnu started with village composting projects. Made had worked closely with Sustainable Bali, a Canadian-funded environment project, and travelled to Canada and Europe to study waste management systems. "I know how these things are done in the developed world," he says. "But capacity, funding and awareness are different here. It's very difficult to change minds. Bad habits die hard. We have to adjust to the local culture in Bali when we do this work."
With this philosophy, Wisnu is now working closely with six banjars in Bali to introduce the concept of waste management. The goal is broad-based environmental education. Wisnu field staff spend three weeks out of each month living in the villages and working intensively with the communities to help them identify their issues and needs, then develop proposals for funding to address them.
With a staff of 13 and paper-thin budget, Wisnu has initiated many projects in the past 8 years. Six staff members collect paper from hotels and offices in Bali and recycle it into high-quality paper and packing material for sale, and the income from this helps pay some staff salaries. Wisnu also introduced the concept of composting to several hotels, and the Intercontinental now produces high quality compost for sale using techniques learned from yayasan staff.
Another Wisnu success story is an integrated waste management program with 10 hotels including the Four Seasons Jimbaran, the Intercontinental and Bali Hilton. Hotel staff hold regular green meetings, calculating how much waste is being created and separating it at source. It is then collected by a private company which brings it to a central collection depot in Jimbaran called PT Jimbaran Lestari. It's now a thriving business employing 40 local people, with 8 trucks making 2 pick-ups a day. The organic hotel waste is collected by farmers for pig fodder, and the plastics and metals are separated and sent to Surabaya for recycling. The Lestari recycling depot is profitable, and is helping to slowly change the image of waste management workers at the community level. Wisnu now plays a supervisory role with Lestari, and has just started a similar project in Kuta with several hotels and the community.
Lestari was already a viable business when Ubud-based ABC (Andalan/Bali Buddha Community Solutions) set up its recycling service in March. This program was born when the owners of Andalan Health Food Store and Bali Buddha Café saw that the need for local recycling was not being met. ABC Solutions collects paper, plastic, metal and glass in the Ubud area. Its client base has now grown to over 50 homes and businesses, and ABC's slender resources are stretched to the limit. Have you ever noticed that it's often the people with the fewest financial resources who are most active in helping their communities? One of the partners spends a full day each week, unpaid, collecting separated waste and delivering it to the Lestari depot. Sometimes he makes three trips in a day, using the family van which is the only company vehicle.
" Although we charge Rp 50,000 a month for pick-up, the recycling service is not profitable. We barely break even," explains ABC co-owner Paul. "But we're committed to serving the community and leading by example. Recently three banjars around Ubud have come to us and asked for our help in dealing with their waste management. This is very promising, because only when the banjars embrace recycling will the Balinese take it seriously." Whether ABC Solutions helps broker a direct relationship with Lestari or becomes involved in helping the banjars organize their recycling programs, it urgently needs a bigger vehicle so it can serve the community more effectively. The partners' modest dream is a second-hand truck, but the cost is well beyond their means.
In stepped Gaya Gallery and Restaurant of Sayan, well-known for its innovative food and lively community events. Its managers, keen environmentalists, are sponsoring a Hallowe'en party to raise funds for ABC Solutions. With its usual flair Gaya is planning a Hallowe'en spectacular including objects de (recycled) art, displays, a Lucky Draw, great music for dancing and a buffet of delicious, wholesome food. Costumes are optional, but I've often noticed that people tend to lose their inhibitions when incognito, so don't be shy.
Tickets for Gaya's Environmental Hallowe'en Spectacular are Rp 100,000, with proceeds going toward the purchase of a second - hand truck for ABC Solutions. Of course, additional donations are very welcome! The party starts at 7 pm on October 31st. The price of the ticket includes a buffet meal, a drink and the chance to dance off some of that wonderful food while viewing original art created for the event. Tickets for can be ordered by calling (361) 979253, emailing gayabali@dps.mega.net.id or purchased at the door.
Yayasan Wisnu can be reached at (361) 735320 or email greenbali@denpasar.wasantara.net.id Made would like to talk to potential sponsors about a program to help support staff salaries.
