R.O.L.E. Foundation organized this month’s beach cleanup at Sawangan Beach. A team of 19 people collected 90.995  kg of non organic waste. This was the first beach cleanup in which we invited people from outside again, and three volunteers joined the R.O.L.E. Foundation team and the Bali WISE students, thank you so much for participating. We hope to see you back!

Cleaning Sawangan Beach

Sawangan Beach is located next to the Hilton. It has a short shore with white sand, clear blue water and there are a lot of bay-hops plants growing there. The majority of the waste was found under the bay-hops plants and between the seaweeds. It took the team around one hour to collect 90.995 kg of non-organic waste from the beach. 

Waste Separation

After the bags of waste were weighed and the waste vouchers were given, the waste was brought to the ZeroWaste Center for cleaning and further separation by the environmental educators and the Bali WISE students. The biggest share of the waste was glass (25.5%), followed by residue (21.3%), and rubber and slippers (20.6%).

Keep beaches clean and healthy

Beaches play an important role in human lives, and they play a role in mitigating climate change effects like the rise of sea levels due to global warming. Beaches also protect people living near the ocean by serving as a buffer against the high winds and waves of powerful storms. And beaches are essential to nearby communities in driving economic activities. 

Some marine mammals, such as sea lions and seals, also need a clean beach to rest, breed, give birth, and feed. Turtles come to shore to lay their eggs in a dug-out hole on the beach, and after hatching, the tiny baby turtles crawl their way over the beach to the waters.

These are all benefits that depend on clean beaches being safe and healthy. Clean beaches improve the coastal and ocean ecosystems and that is why beach cleanups are important.