Two South African tourists holidaying in the South of Lombok spent the day relaxing and enjoying the views of the stunning Selong Belanak beach. Although the white-sand beach appeared clean from a distance, the holidaymakers soon discovered it had a dirty secret.
This beautiful beach on the south coast of Lombok is known for its soft white sand, which stretches over 1.5km in a protected bay. Waters are clear and warm, perfect for swimming. After enjoying the beauty of the beach for a couple of hours, the tourists began to notice plastic bags rolling down the beach carried by the wind. On closer inspection, they noticed that the sand was actually littered with plastic bags, bottles and straws, amongst other bits of trash.
Feeling compelled to clean the beach and rid it of its man-made eyesores, the couple began picking up the trash, being provided with cardboard boxes from the local beach-side warung.
In an hour, the pair had filled two boxes with trash, noticing that locals manning their beach shops started to do the same in their individual areas.
“It’s amazing how such a little action can inspire others to better look after their environment,” said one of the beach-cleaning tourists. “I noticed a lot of straws, which was so frustrating. I plan to boycott plastic straws from now on!”
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