Published 16:12 IST, January 8th 2021
'Heartbreaking': Bali activist dresses as mermaid to draw attention to marine pollution
In a bid to draw attention to the alarming situation of pollution in Bali beaches, an ocean activist from Belgium, Laura dressed up as a mermaid and posed.
- Entertainment News
- 3 min read
In a bid to draw attention to the alarming situation of pollution in Bali beaches, an ocean activist from Belgium, Laura dressed up as a mermaid and posed laying on the waste-laden seashore. Implying that the waste leads similar fate for the marine animals, Laura’s “powerful” representation not only took the internet by storm but also made many people aware of their “poor choices” that cause environmental degradation.
The image, captured by a Bali-based freelance photographer Wayan Suyadnya was taken at Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia. Apart from the drone shot that shows the magnitude of waste on the beach, Laura also posted several other pictures and videos of the place filled with plastic bottles and other such items. In the viral post, the ocean activist had also called out the companies who make plastic materials that are only used for a few minutes.
She asked the multinational firms to “stop making trash” and explained how the rainy season in Bali becomes a “plastic disaster”. Laura believes that waste is going to keep accumulating on the beaches until “polluters” stop manufacturing such items. She also noted that it should not be the responsibility of the community to clear the waste that will only cease to exist if the companies “step up”. The ocean activist also tagged the bodies and individuals who volunteered to clear the waste. Hundreds of netizens not only lauded Laura's initiative but also noted that the images are 'heartbreaking'.
Laura wrote, “But this is going to keep happening until the polluters STOP MANUFACTURING and selling things we use for minutes, that pollute the ocean and environment for centuries.”
“Clean ups and recycling are not the long term solution! Stop making trash and there won’t be trash! Corporations must STEP UP! The world needs you to put the environment before greed,” she added.
Plastic bags, packaging material 'deadliest waste'
Meanwhile, as the global production and consumption of plastic continues in a worrying upward trend, a recent study has recognised some of the key plastic items that are a leading cause for the death of whales and other marine creatures, also threatening the oceanic ecosystem. Scientists have found that plastic bags and flexible plastic packaging material constitute the deadliest plastic waste that increases mortal risks of whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds in the oceans.
The solid waste "marine debris" is ingested by over 1,400 species, of which marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds are well represented, the study noted. It added that plastic debris ingestion was a leading cause of mortality among cetaceans, pinnipeds, sea turtles, and seabirds.
Updated 16:10 IST, January 8th 2021
