Uluwatu, on the Bukit Peninsula, is known for its amazing cliff-top temple and as one of the best surfing beaches in the world.
Indonesia is a developing country and Uluwatu is in an underdeveloped part of Bali. This means that it lacks the infrastructure to deal with waste and pollution problems that come with development and a growing number of visitors. That’s why in this location, it’s especially important to be careful and clean – and in order to do that a lot of work needs to be done.
Surfing, for many, is a sport that is deeply in tune with nature. Some surfers – in a way of showing their great appreciation and respect for this place, and for the ocean – decided to do something about it through education, activation, and a lot of motivation.
James Pribram and the project Eco Surf Rescue Uluwatu (ESRU)
James Pribram and the organization Eco Surf Rescue are fighting to keep Bali’s Uluwatu beach clean.
So far ESRU has cleaned up trash from the ravine as well as instituted both a recycling program and rubbish collection system. They’re also currently working on creating an important liquid waste management system.
Here is some more info on an important environmental project the pro surfer and eco-warrior James Pribram is working on.
ESPN recently interviewed Pribram on his latest trip to Bali:
My trip to Bali was a fact-finding mission about pollution and unregulated trash dumps in the midst of being cleaned up by Curtis Lowe and others. The Rivers, Oceans, Land and Ecology Foundation (R.O.L.E ) had reached out to me to help them gain some international media attention to support the cleanup effort.
Moreover, Eco Surf Rescue Uluwatu also recently held a surfing event. It also helped to raise awareness and celebrate ecological progress made concerning Uluwatu beach. Surfers and ESRU members paddled out past the break and formed a circle of unity.
Fresh from a quality effort at the Billabong Pipe Masters in Hawaii, the Australian pro surfer Owen Wright has donated one of his boards – a custom model which he rode during this year’s Fiji Pro – to be auctioned off in support of ESRU and their efforts to keep Uluwatu clean. The profits go into the installation of the liquid waste management system.
Owen has been coming to Uluwatu since he was only 12 years old, always staying with the same family. It’s his favorite place on the island. According to Wright in this press release, Bali is synonymous with Uluwatu. It’s where he always went and he thinks it’s just the best. But he is also concerned about the strains tourism is putting on one of the world’s top surf spots.
From an interview with Owen on the ESRU website:
Hey, the thing about every generation is they are just surfers – and we’re thinking about the waves and don’t always look at that [the environment]. I know it’s true for me at least. People are more concerned now than back in the day. Surfing was pretty small and it only recently became more popular. That’s why you see so many warungs and buildings on this cliff.
Recent fundraising efforts for Eco Surf Rescue Uluwatu include Rip Curl t-shirt sales ($5,465 US). As well as an auction of art and surf memorabilia ($12,000 US). Not bad!