Bali, Indonesia, June 22, 2013 - (ANTARA) - Thousands of people in Kuta Beach got their hands dirty today to remove the trash on Kuta Beach. Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia, Quiksilver, and Garuda Indonesia gather employees, customers, local community, and tourists in a series of eco-friendly activities including Beach Clean Up, Trees Planting, and Sea Turtle Release.
In an event called Bali's Big Eco Weekend, employees and customers of the three companies were joined by community and tourists to volunteer their time to pick up the waste along Kuta's coastline. In just one hour, participants were able to remove over 220 kg of trash. This amount is less than the total waste collected at Bali's Big Eco Weekend event last year, showing the success of Bali Beach Clean Up Program which has been implemented and is expected to be further developed in the coming years.
The session quickly followed by donating 500 trees to the local leaders (Bandesa Adat) of Kuta, Legian, Jimbaran, Seminyak, dan Kedonganan, and a release of 1,000 sea turtles to their natural habitat. "It is always inspiring to see the community come together and help our environment cleaner, healthier, and even more beautiful than it already is," says Erich Rey, President Director of Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia. "Bali's Big Eco Weekend was designed to engage all stakeholders, including the government, businesses, and society for preserving the island of Bali, which plays crucial role in Indonesia's tourism and local economic prosperity."
Attracted by global reputation, Bali has long been a tourism hotspot, pulling in 3 million holidaymakers in 2012. According to Bali's Central Statistic Agency (BPS), the top country of origin supplying tourists to Bali in 2012 was Australia, contributing 27 percent to the total number of tourist arrivals. This is why Bali's Big Eco Weekend 2013 specifically invited world-champion surfers like Mark Richards, Martin Potter as well as iconic surfers such as Jake Paterson, Matt Hoy, Peter McCabe and the inventor of the 3 fin surfboard Simon Anderson who will set the good examples for their fans in Australia and around the world. A renowned musician and environmental activist, Melanie Subono, was also seen among the participants.
"Quiksilver Indonesia has been concerned and actively involved in the sustainability of Bali's environment. As a surf company that was founded by surfers, we are proud to invite some of the world's most renowned surfers to Bali for this event. The awareness raised by their involvement in the beach clean-up, and the chance for non-professional surfers to compete against them up at Uluwatu tomorrow will raise more concern to other beaches in Indonesia, other than just Kuta beach," says Paul Hutson, CEO of Quiksilver South East Asia.
Bali's Big Eco Weekend was first held in 2010, as a continued action to Bali's Beach Clean Up program. Despite the fun eco day activities at the beach, the event has always been carrying the serious message by trash-picking and protecting the sea turtles. During last year's event, the event picked up over 1 million kg of trash in under one hour and released 1,200 sea turtles back to the ocean. This year, PT. Garuda Indonesia Tbk added trees-planting initiative to enhance the recreational areas by providing shade and beauty, and most importantly, help to slow down beach erosion.
PT. Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk first took part in the program last December 2012, through donation of two Beach Surf Rakes units that let various types of trash to be swept off the sand instantly, including small items like cigarette stubs. The company then decided to fully join the program this year, as it remains committed to support many initiatives and programs to preserve the environment.
Heriyanto, EVP Human Capital and Corporate Affairs of Garuda Indonesia says that as a business entity, besides focusing on its core activities, Garuda Indonesia is also keenly aware of the social and environmental issues that are affecting the society in the 21st century. "Bali Beach Clean Up program is also one of Garuda Indonesia's efforts to help the improvement and preservation of this island's genuine nature, especially considering that the increasing number of tourist traveling to and from Bali has become one of Garuda's main markets," Heriyanto added.
Earlier in the day, a Workshop was held to discuss solutions on sustainable waste management. Mark Riddiford from Greenenz Resources Ltd, New Zealand, was invited to speak before local environmental NGOs on technologies and innovations which may be applied in Indonesia to solve the waste problem thoroughly and provide economic benefit to its society.
"Cleanliness is an aspect that can elevate the competitiveness of tourism destinations," Erich Rey added, "Coca-Cola, Quiksilver, and Garuda Indonesia are committed to identify sustainable solutions for the better environment in which we operate, and we all believe that small changes do make a powerful impact, and taking action is better than doing nothing."
About Bali's Beach Clean Up
Bali Beach Clean Up Program (BBCU) program was first established in 2008 by Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia and Quiksilver to solve one of Bali's alarming issues - too much waste. PT. Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk first took part in the program in 2012, through donation of two Beach Surf Rakes units that let various types of trash to be swept off the sand instantly, including small items like cigarette butts. The company then decided to fully join the program this year, as it remains committed to support many initiatives and programs to preserve the environment.
In 2013 alone, the program has picked up over 1 million kg of waste off the five beaches of Kuta, Jimbaran, Legian, Seminyak, and Kedonganan, adding to the total of over 14 million kg of rubbish collected since the program started five years ago.
Through close partnership with the local leaders of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Jimbaran, and Kedonganan, BBCU has developed into a daily program, cleaning a total of 9,7 km along the coastline, including employment of 74 local beach clean-up workers, and investment of 4 tractors, 3 trucks, and more than 300 placements of trash bins.
And as the beaches have become cleaner there has been a noticeable increase in the number of Sea Turtles returning to these beaches to lay eggs. Our program also supports the Bali Sea Turtle Society who has cared for and returned more than 50,000 hatchlings to their habitat in Kuta beach since 2011.
About Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia
Coca-Cola was introduced to Indonesia in 1927 and was locally produced in 1932. After being shut down in 1942, Coca-Cola started being produced again by the Indonesia Bottler Limited (IBL), a national company founded by TH Ticoalu, Tatang Nana and Harry Handoyo. The plant was producing 1,000-1,500 cases of Coca-Cola a day, employing 25 people and supported by 3-7 distribution trucks. Since the 1960s, a range of The Coca-Cola Company's products have been introduced to the Indonesian market. And by 2000, 10 bottling operations consolidated under Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia. For more information, please visit http://coca-colaamatil.co.id/ .
Contact:
Ruth Davina
Media & Communication Specialist
Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia
Tel: +62-21-88322222
Email: Ruth.Davina@sea.ccamatil.com
Editor: PR Wire
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
