This program is the brainchild of Pak Janur, a Balinese man who started the program in his village in Pesalakan Banjar in April 2019 and we have now completed three plastic for rice exchange events.

Over 2 tonnes of garbage have been cleaned up from village centers, rice fields and waterways. Local residents in the community gather hard rubbish and plastics and trade it for sacks of fresh rice grain. This provides employment, gives those that have lost their jobs something to do, cleans up the village and rivers and presents an opportunity to educate about waste management for the future.

The collected trash is handed into a rubbish bank and sold to a recycling company. The rice is purchased locally which supports the rice farmers, and traded for trash. However there is a shortfall of approx 80% between what is earned from the recycling company and paid out in rice so donations will also go towards this project. There are now 7 Banjars involved in the Pejeng area, so it is catching on quickly. Formal education programs will be introduced when this is allowable under COVID-Safe health guidelines.