Melati Wijsen, an 18-year-old Indonesian/Dutch activist and change-maker, co-established Bye Bye Plastic Bags (BBPB) with her sister, spearheading a movement driven by young people since 2013. By 2019, they successfully prohibited the use of plastic bags, straws, and Styrofoam in Bali, while also launching initiatives such as One Island One Voice and Mountain Mama's. She has delivered speeches at TED and the United Nations, being acknowledged by FORBES as one of the top ten inspiring women in her country. With a strong commitment to ocean conservation, she serves as an Alumni Member of the World’s Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council. Despite graduating early from high school at the Green School, she has been honored by TIME and CNN as one of the most influential teenagers worldwide. Currently, she is introducing YOUTHTOPIA to empower young individuals through education.
"Find out where you are passionate about. We need all kind of change-makers and this can start today with you."
~ Melati Wijsen
Themis Magazine: What inspired you to become an ocean protection activist?
Melati Wijsen:
Growing up in the Island of Bali and being surrounded by ocean. My sister and I saw already on an early age that the plastic pollution was a real threat to a healthy ocean. So once we learn more and more, by the age of 12 and 10 years, we decided to do something about it, and started to raise our voices with a lot of friends and like minded. That resulted in the creation of the NGO Bye Bye Plastic Bags
Themis Magazine: Can you please share examples of major activities you have undertaken as an ocean protection activist?
Melati Wijsen:
Our main goals was to raise awareness. BBPB did this through three pillars:
Education: We Created educational booklets in English and bahasa Indonesia for elementary schools. Today we have version 3 and distributed over 2500 booklets in many Islands of Indonesia.
Global awareness: Today BBPB has over 50 global teams. All young people that started their own team in the places where they come from with friends, school, etc.
Campaigns and action awareness: That is a long list but some I really nicely remember. Our yearly clean ups "One Island One Voice," and many, many early morning beach clean ups, our plastic fashion show, our TED-talk, festivals, Hunger strike, collecting signatures at the airport, and of course reach (with many other likeminded organizations) a ban on single use plastic bags, straws, and styrofoam.
Themis Magazine: What is the most significant lesson you have learned from your experience as an ocean protection activist?
Melati Wijsen:
Oooh there are many but the most important are
No matter how good or big your idea is to create change-- you can not do it alone so create a team around you for support.
Stay focused. What I mean is, our name [Bye Bye Plastic Bags] gives it away… say no to the single used plastic bags. We often got the question why not all plastic or straws. But we decided for us the NO to single used plastic bags was practical, feasible, and a good enough start. If we would have said all plastics we would have gotten on an impossible and nasty journey. Because our lives can not be without all plastic. But the single used plastic bags everybody can let go.
Do not forget to have fun, as sometimes it is hard to be a change maker but having fun makes it all worth it.
Themis Magazine: What advice would you give to emerging activists?
Melati Wijesn:
Sometimes you ask yourself what somebody is going to do about a challenge, and sometimes we forget that that someone can be you. Find out what you are passionate about. We need all kinds of change-makers and this can start today with you.
To sum up, Melati Wijsen's viewpoint on tackling plastic pollution emphasizes the critical necessity of inclusive strategies in dealing with the plastic crisis. Her commitment to amplifying the voices of young people, including indigenous communities, through Bye Bye Plastic Bags and activism, is truly inspiring and effective.
We appreciate your steadfast commitment to driving positive transformations, Melati. We eagerly anticipate observing the ongoing influence of your efforts in the battle to safeguard our sustainable environments.
Comments