What happens when the western world starts flocking to a third world island? One of the problems in developing areas that suddenly face an influx of tourists is that the infrastructure that we take for granted in the west usually doesn’t exist. And while growth is good for the economy and for the local people living on the island, it brings a new set of problems… not the least of which is rubbish and waste management.
Most western countries have already been through the cycle of growth starting with the advent of plastics in the 50’s, through mass consumerism and the overuse of plastics and other chemicals used in packaging and bottling, to the realisation of what those chemicals do to our environment and how difficult they are to get rid of. Concepts such as littering, using biodegradable products and recycling are already ingrained in the western psyche, thanks largely to education and to laws regarding littering and environmental waste.
But in a country like Indonesia, where the traditional materials used for wrapping and packaging used to consist of banana leaves, paper and other organic products, the advent of plastics has had disastrous results. Cheap and convenient, plastic bags and bottles now take the place of banana leaves and clay pots. Look anywhere in Indonesia and you will see plastic bags, bottles and wrappers laying on roadsides and dumped in rivers. Shampoo packets litter the waterfalls, snack bags and cigarette packages are thrown from car windows, and the entire archipelago looks like a giant rubbish dump.
While there’s no doubt the local people are the major cause of the rubbish problem, tourists must also shoulder part of the blame. We expect to buy cans of Coke and cylinders of Pringles; we demand that our water comes in plastic bottles and that the “tamper proof” plastic on the cap is intact; we expect that our purchases will be hygienically wrapped and packaged in plastics, foil and other non-organic materials. But very few people on holiday think about where all this packaging is going.
In the west, we can be satisfied that the rubbish we throw in the bin will be collected by the men in the big rubbish truck and taken away to some out-of-sight place, where it will be sorted into different bins for recycling and dealt with responsibly, in accordance with our laws on environmental protection. So where are the rubbish trucks and recycling centres in our local area? For that matter, most of the time, where are the rubbish bins?
While you may find these in the larger cities, most villages and kampungs where the majority of the populations of Bali and Lombok live don’t have rubbish collection and, even on a relatively developed island like Lombok, there are no recycling centres away from the cities. Rubbish in the villages is dealt with in the traditional way – by burning. While that may have been fine in the past, with fires made from leaves swept up around the homes and waste such as used banana leaves and paper providing the fuel, now the fire is likely to consist of plastic bags, bottles and wrappers, doused in kerosene to make it all burn. Drive past any of these on your motorbike and get a face full of toxic plastic smoke and you will realise what a hazard this is to the environment.
Likewise, talk to divers and fishermen about the havoc wreaked by plastic bags and other rubbish in the ocean. Never having been told otherwise, most Indonesians will use dry streams and riverbeds as dumping grounds for their rubbish. Over the dry season, the rubbish mounts up and, with the start of the monsoonal rains, the rubbish is swept down the flowing rivers and out to sea. Out of sight and out of mind. Except for those pulling up fishing lines tangled in junk, and snorkellers and divers getting a wet plastic bag plastered over their goggles. Walk along the beach after the rains and see how many lonely single rubber sandals are washed up on the shore.
Those of us who live in Bali and Lombok know exactly what I’m talking about. Tourists gush about the beautiful scenery, the lovely people, the fantastic beaches, but lament the rubbish littering every landscape. “Why don’t they do something about it?” they ask.
Well, who is “they”? While we can all agree that it’s a shame and the government, the village heads, the schools – somebody! – should do something about it, the likelihood is that this will take a long time to change, if left to the usual Indonesian “system”.
In reality, we can’t blame a system where education often comes a poor second and waste management is low down on the list of necessary skills. People struggling to exist can’t be expected to care about where they throw their rubbish; when food, shelter and safety are the primary concerns. Governments concerned with building roads and supplying electricity don’t have rubbish trucks and recycling centres as priorities.
However, those westerners who live here and those tourists who visit, have the education and awareness to make a difference. Western-owned businesses can set the example by using organic packaging, such as paper bags and re-usable cloth shopping bags. Every person, expat or tourist, can say “No” to plastic bags and take their own bags when shopping. All household staff can be taught to recycle, even if it means giving glass bottles to petrol vendors; and finding someone in your village who will collect steel, metal and aluminium cans. Organic kitchen waste, paper, garden waste and other organic rubbish can be made into compost and provide a good fertiliser in your garden.
Some people make big differences by setting up recycling programmes themselves, or by organising clean ups, or by training other people in responsible waste management. Some of us don’t have the time to do that, but we can still make a difference by supporting waste management programmes and education financially. Most of all, we can set an example to those in our immediate circle by adopting practices that don’t contribute to the rubbish problem. If we can teach just one other person, particularly if they are local people who may not have any idea about these concepts, they in turn will be able to teach others.
Ghandi said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”. If we look around, there’s a lot we can do individually. The first important step to making this change is to ask yourself whether you are part of the solution or part of the problem.
