How a Body Builder and songwriter try to reduce plastic bag use on Bali
The other day I was looking at information on the exciting initiative – Tas Pasar (Market bag) – and today I met the person who initiated it. David, an Australian expat living on Bali for many years, wanted to do something about the plastic bag mess and came up with the idea to distribute reusable bags to small local shops, the warungs.
They are currently trying different things, but a promising approach is that hotels or other companies sponsor those bags. They get their logo printed on one side and then the reusable market-bags are given to the shop owners to distribute to their customers, or staff to use it for their shopping. The experimental approach he is taking is really interesting and I believe that this could be a valuable source of data for my research. The marketing is quite special, too. As you can see below, David got Komang Arnawa, a local natural body builder, to support the campaign. An impressive guy powerful enough to convince the shopping housewives?
Strongly recommended – “Bring your own bag”
David has been quite active promoting Tas Pasar via FB. It is not only a good source for more information about campaigns and its perception by the people, but I recommend it to everyone interested in the topic, it is very well done! Just have a look on the video clip they have produced:
The Balinese musician Gede Robi Supriyanto and his band Robi Navicula have come up with a song about rejecting plastic bags. In this interview you can read about Robi and his motivation. And below you can listen to his great song.
This is an attempt to translate the lyrics, below is the Indonesian original:
Reject plastic bag, reject plastic bag
Plastic plastic plastic
Reject plastic bag
Plastic bags leave with the sound
Blowing down the street
Getting washed to the ocean
Swimming along with the fishes
Plastik bags cause problems
Because they cannot be composted
So it is better to reject them
Oh it’s really not a difficult thing (to do)
Reject plastic bag, reject plastic bag
Plastic plastic plastic
Reject plastic bag
Every year they get washed out to the shores
Giving curse to the ocean
If that happens every year
Who wants to come to Bali?
Bali is a beautiful island
Plastic makes its skin ugly
Let’s play some music
Make Bali beautiful without plastic
Reject plastic bag, reject plastic bag
Plastic, plastic, plastic
Reject plastic bag
Bali is a beautiful island
Plastic makes its skin ugly
Let’s play some music
Make Bali beautiful without plastic
Reject plastic bag, reject plastic bag
Plastic plastic plastic
Reject plastic bag 2x
_____
Original Indonesian version:
Tolak tas kresek, tolak tas kresek
Kresek kresek kresek
Tolak tas kresek
Tas kresek keluar dari suara yang
Berkeliaran di jalanan
Hanyut menuju lautan
Berenang bersama ikan-ikan
Tas kresek bikin masalah
Karena tak bisa diolah
Jadi sebaiknya ditolak saja
Oh apa sih susahnya
Tolak tas kresek, tolak tas kresek
Kresek kresek kresek
Tolak tas kresek
Tiap tahun hanyut ke tepian
Bikin pantai kena kutukan
Jika tiap tahun begini
Siapa yang mau datang ke Bali
Bali ini pulau yang cantik
Kresek bikin kulitnya bersisik
Ayo kita mainkan musik
Bikin Bali cantik tanpa plastik
Tolak tas kresek, tolak tas kresek
Kresek kresek kresek
Tolak tas kresek
Bali ini pulau yang cantik
Kresek bikin kulitnya bersisik
Ayo kita mainkan musik
Dukung Bali cantik tanpa plastik
Tolak tas kresek, tolak tas kresek
Kresek kresek kresek
Tolak tas kresek (2x)
