Solikah, a 58-year-old Indonesian housewife, has watched her beachside home in Teluk village transform over four decades. Now, she points to mounds of plastic waste choking the shoreline. 'You can’t predict the weather anymore,' she says, tears in her eyes. 🌧️
Why Is This Happening?
Located in Java’s Banten province, Teluk suffers from some of Indonesia’s dirtiest beaches. Heavy rains and unpredictable tides—linked to this year’s delayed dry season—are washing trash back ashore. 'It’s a cycle,' explains Fikri Jufri, a local beach cleanup organizer. 'Plastic dumped in rivers flows to the sea, then tides bring it back.'
From Toothbrushes to TikTok Fame
Everyday items like sandals, noodle packets, and biscuit wrappers litter the sand. Indonesia ranks among the world’s top contributors to ocean plastic, and Teluk’s struggle gained attention last year when a viral TikTok video showed activists hauling away tonnes of debris. 📱♻️
Fishermen’s Livelihoods at Stake
For villagers like Jayadi, 33, the crisis hits harder than bad smells. Rough seas keep fishermen ashore, cutting incomes before Eid al-Fitr celebrations. 'Families can’t afford rice,' he says. 'Last year, we caught squids. Now? Just trash.' 🎣💔
