Our campaign to ban plastic bags in Bali | Melati and Isabel Wijsen

Overview of the Campaign

Melati and Isabel Wijsen describe how they—along with a growing network of children—launched a sustained campaign to eliminate plastic bags in Bali. They frame Bali’s plastic-waste crisis, especially plastic bags, as both an environmental emergency and a problem of public image and identity.

They report that:

• Bali produces about 680 cubic meters of plastic garbage daily.
• Fewer than 5% of plastic bags are recycled.
• Most bags end up in drains, rivers, and the ocean, or are burned or discarded as litter.

How the Campaign Started and Scaled

After learning where the bags ended up, the sisters say they mobilized almost immediately. They connected with other children across local and international schools and created a “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” crew.

Their approach combines multiple tactics:

1. On- and off-line signature petition
2. Educational and inspirational school presentations
3. Public awareness at markets, festivals, and beach clean-ups
4. Distribution of practical alternatives, including:
   • net bags
   • recycled newspaper bags
   • organic bags made by local initiatives

The “Pilot Village” Initiative

They also run a “pilot village” program involving 800 families, focusing on customer awareness and non-plastic alternatives. They claim this effort has already progressed to making the village two-thirds plastic-bag free.

Pressuring Government: Persistence and New Angles

The sisters explain that early attempts to persuade Bali’s government did not succeed. So they used a more forceful strategy:

• A petition that targeted government attention, ultimately reaching one million signatures.

When that still required a different angle, they “thought outside the box” by leveraging Bali’s airport traffic:

• 16 million arrivals and departures per year.

Through days of persistence, working through airport administration, they eventually gained authorization to collect signatures behind customs and immigration. They collected nearly 1,000 signatures in the first 90 minutes.

They present this as evidence that change requires:

• persistence
• support across society (students, commercial leaders, and public figures)

Celebrity Access and Broader Networks

The sisters also describe how celebrity connections and wider networks helped the campaign. They cite support and lessons from prominent figures involved in international activism and community organizing, including:

• Ban Ki-moon
• Jane Goodall

They connect these relationships and experiences to themes of leadership, teamwork, patience, and cultural learning.

Hunger Strike Turning Point Inspired by Gandhi

A major turning point, they say, was a hunger strike inspired by Gandhi.

After visiting Gandhi’s house in India, they decided to strike until the Bali governor agreed to meet them about stopping plastic bags. They coordinated with a nutritionist and struck using a staged “mogak makan” (no eating from sunrise to sunset), while using social media to amplify attention—after which they say police quickly became involved.

They describe being escorted to the governor’s office within 24 hours, receiving:

• the governor’s endorsement
• a promise to help
• a commitment that Bali would be plastic-bag free by 2018

They also add that an airport supporter planned a plastic-bag-free policy as early as 2016.

Core Behavioral Message

They reinforce a simple behavioral message:

• Stop handing out free plastic bags
• Bring reusable bags instead

Sustaining Momentum: “One Island / One Voice”

To maintain momentum, they promote a short-term campaign called “One Island / One Voice.”

This effort:

• rewards businesses that declare themselves plastic-bag free with entry stickers and public recognition
• contrasts them with businesses that do not display the sticker, using social media and local publications

Conclusion: Youth-Led Change

Overall, the sisters argue that young people can drive meaningful change—especially when they:

• mobilize teams
• combine advocacy with practical alternatives
• persist with institutions

They end with a continuing goal:

Ensuring that the first question at Bali’s airports is whether travelers have any plastic bags to declare.

Presenters or contributors

• Melati Wijsen
• Isabel Wijsen
• Nelson Mandela (mentioned)
• Lady Diana (mentioned)
• Mahatma Gandhi (mentioned)
• Ban Ki-moon (mentioned)
• Jane Goodall (mentioned)
• Mahatma Gandhi’s governor target (Bali governor; mentioned)
• United Nations (organization; mentioned)
• Rotary International / Interactors / Rotarians (mentioned)
• Bali airport commercial manager (referenced)
• Village mayor (referenced)
• Green School (referenced)
• Rotary “Roots & Shoots” (mentioned)