Banda Archipelago in Indonesia, renowned for its incredible underwater biodiversity and a prime destination for witnessing epic schools of hammerhead sharks, home to vibrant coral reef ecosystems and migrating pygmy blue whales, is facing a disturbing environmental crisis. The islands are experiencing a plastic waste emergency, with an alarming amount of plastic waste being disposed of into the sea daily.
As marine debris continues to be a growing global issue, uncontrollable waste is entering the ocean at an unprecedented rate, impacting the health of the surrounding waters. Local authorities have declared Banda in a state of Waste Emergency, underscoring the urgent need for immediate action to address this escalating problem and protect the archipelago’s unique marine life.
In a collaborative effort to address the growing waste crisis, Ocean Eye has partnered with EcoNusa, and a local waste bank “Bank Sampah Banda Naira Mandiri (BNM) which is a program of Luminocean, a local NGO” (1). Bank Sampah BNM has engaged in the waste issue in Banda for 12 years and have established a plastic pickup system in villages and are teaching citizens how to sort waste to be suitable for recycling. They are also running a school program to raise awareness for plastic disposal and other environmental issues among children.
Over the years, however, the waste problem has increased as consumerism is growing and has become uncontrollable if left without additional support from authorities. Banda’s waste status has been elevated to an ‘Emergency’ level. There is now a pressing need for coordinated, impactful solutions to protect the archipelago’s environment and communities.
After conducting two separate workshops, we finalized the agreement made in 2024 by allocating funds received through the Ocean Eye platform to support waste management initiatives in Banda. With support from Ocean Eye, this program will rely on the participation of tourism operators, especially the liveaboard industry that visits the islands. The tourist-based donations for wildlife sighted will develop a long-term funding mechanism to bolster local waste management through the Waste Bank, emphasising the ongoing program to increase waste reduction efforts and other community projects in Banda (2).
Ocean Eye is a novel funding mechanism for small islands and coastal communities that lack resources but receive large amounts of foreign tourists. Transparency is maintained by ensuring that each donation, based on the specific animals sighted by tourists, is visible to the recipient. This approach encourages a mindset of valuing and protecting live animals, as the community directly benefits from wildlife sightings rather than exploitation. Now tourists can contribute through Ocean Eye credibly and transparently for the benefit of both the marine life they love to see and the coastal communities they visit.
Footnotes
1. Bank Sampah BNM, is operated under the NGO Luminocean (local name ‘Yayasan Cahaya Samudera Indonesia’) led by Luminocean’s Ketua Magafira Ali. Magafira and his team have been working to tackle the waste issue since 2012.
2.A recent workshop, in collaboration with Banda University and the Local Waste Bank, was crucial in finalizing the agreement with local authorities on how the funds will be specifically utilized for the waste management program. It also clarified the detailed steps needed to tackle the waste issue at its root. The program will begin by developing local regulations to ban single-use plastics, organizing regular clean-up activities, implementing household waste management systems, and introducing waste management education in schools. As a pilot initiative, these efforts will start in Nusantara Village, the gateway to Banda’s tourism sector, setting the stage for a larger, long-term solution across the archipelago.