A community-led approach to plastic pollution in Vanuatu

By Katherine Howell

The health of our planet and humanity relies on the biodiversity within our oceans and surrounding landscapes. Yet, we face mounting challenges from climate change, pollution, habitat loss, degradation, and resource depletion, making it imperative to confront these pressing issues and to shed light on the urgency of the situation.

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated individuals and organisations, there is hope. Here at The Climate Reality Project Australia & Pacific alone, we have trained and empowered over 2,400 Climate Reality Leaders (CRLs) to actively participate in the fight for our oceans and biodiversity. Our CRLs are leading the way through a variety of initiatives aimed at protecting humans and nature and inspiring further action.

​We invite you to read the first in a series of blog posts that will highlight the many successful programs initiated to tackle the dire environmental problems we face.

A community stands up to plastic pollution
​
Vanuatu Clean is an informal organisation founded by Climate Reality Leader Carlos Noronha in 2017 and aims to inspire a citizens’ movement to improve wellbeing and environmental protection.

​Beginning as a Facebook page called ‘Say no to plastic bags,’ it has since been renamed, launched a website and blog, and amassed 4,500 followers. 

Together with other groups actions, “We were actually able to achieve the ban of the plastic bags in Vanuatu in 2018,” he says.

The team operates as an anonymous collective, drawing attention to the challenging issue of plastic mitigation. Their focus lies in presenting sustainable and viable alternatives. Started as a small collective, Carlos explains that Vanuatu Clean now supports other groups, leading to a chain effect and cross pollinating each other’s work with energy and ambition. “We started supporting other groups, which created new associations in different communities across Vanuatu, where we still foster strong relationships,” he elaborates.
​
Collaborators include Plastic Soup Foundation, the Manta Trust, which supports and protects manta rays through education, research, and advice on policies and local associations such as Green Wave Vanuatu and The Bridge, an association that wants to help protect and restore the ecological and environmental wonders of Vanuatu, including the Erakor Lagoon.

A lagoon inspires climate action

Having called Vanuatu home for many years, Carlos developed a deep love for the local  Erakor Lagoon. Inspired to fight plastic pollution and protect the lagoon for future generations, Carlos began taking a canoe to remove rubbish from what he calls a 'plastic island'. “There was an island of plastics ….and inside that island were thousands of dead fish…. and birds and a dog and a pig. It was a soup of plastic.”

​Other people in the community started observing his daily clean-up ritual and started coming together to tackle the pollution issue as a collective. “I took 23 days with the help of a few kids, who saw me between the hours of six and seven in the morning before coming to work and we would take the plastic from the island and put it in a traditional canoe for removal.”

​What began with one man with a passion, has now evolved into a successful, community-led initiative.

Youth engagement powers positive change

Demographically, 60% of Vanuatu’s population are youth. Carlos explains that projects such as Vanuatu Clean bring a sense of hope and give young people a hands-on project that directly impacts their wellbeing and that of others.

The idea of having a polluted lagoon has motivated diverse youth to focus on waste reduction, particularly in the Erakor Bridge community. “They didn’t know what plastic was. They though that plastic was coming from leaves from the trees,” he explains.

Following the adoption of the slogan “Plastics are not banana skins,” Carlos successfully spearheaded a widespread educational campaign highlighting the detrimental composition of plastics and their adverse effects on human health.
​
“In my opinion, people don’t care about the message that we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean in 2050. It’s smarter to tackle this crisis from a health perspective, because recent studies have shown the impacts on human health are a lot worse than previously thought,” he says. 

Harnessing Indigenous knowledge to save a lagoon
​
Vanuatu Clean collaborates closely with local government bodies and traditional chiefs to confront the severity of the issue, all the while acknowledging the vital role of indigenous knowledge in combatting the climate crisis. Carlos describes one such impactful initiative led by his chief, which involved engaging local youth in a play to raise awareness about the deteriorating state of the lagoon.

The Chief who was one of the founding actors of Wan Smolbag, and formed a community Theatre group named Natongton (Mangrove in the local language Bislamar) helped to raise public awareness about the lagoon's condition. In the play, the children became the voices of the lagoon and the performance garnered significant attention, even reaching television audiences, empowering the children with a sense of agency as they saw themselves making a difference.

This collective effort resulted in tangible outcomes, as two ministers pledged to take action to safeguard the lagoon, showcasing the power of community-driven initiatives in effecting positive change.

The unseen threats of plastic pollution

While most plastics are a visible issue, not all plastics and pollution are. Nano and microplastics are too small to be seen but have accumulating impacts on plants, animals, and humans. Carlos explains that fish in the local community's diet can be impacted by plastic pollution, and in turn, the people who eat them can also be affected. Some of the chemicals associated with plastics can create negative human impacts, particularly affecting women diabetes.

However, stopping the use of plastic isn't straightforward due to the complexity of the issue. In some Pacific Island nations like Vanuatu, a lack of available drinking water can lead to a dependence on packaged water in some communities. 
​
The impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels, further exacerbate the problem by diminishing the availability of already limited freshwater resources.

Join the movement against plastic pollution

Carlos has shown that a small group can make a big difference when they come together. Even small actions can have a significant impact.  Here are a few actions you can take in our collective efforts to mitigate the effects of the climate crisis:

• Reduce single-use plastic consumption by opting for reusable alternatives such as cloth bags, stainless steel water bottles, and glass containers.
• Educate others about the impacts of plastic pollution and share inspiring stories like Carlos', encouraging collective action.
• Participate in community clean-up events to remove litter from local environments, preventing plastics from entering waterways and harming wildlife.
• Advocate for stronger environmental policies by engaging with local government representatives and expressing concerns about the climate crisis. Push for initiatives like plastic bans or stricter regulations on plastic production and disposal.
• Support businesses and brands that prioritise sustainability and use eco-friendly packaging options. Encourage others to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Foster a culture of sustainability within your community by organising workshops, events, or educational campaigns focused on reducing plastic waste and combating climate change.

Join the conversation by using #SayNoToPlastics and let us know what you are doing to preserve and protect our planet for future generations.

Further resources for understanding and addressing plastic pollution
​
Vanuatu Clean | Vanuatu Environment, Community and Spirit (invanuatu.net)
(20+) Vanuatu Clean | Facebook
POLSOLSum.pdf (unep.org)
Marine Pollution | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (noaa.gov)