5 MIN READ
08-26-2025
Cleaning Tukadaya River, One Tire at a Time
Qubik, 4ocean Indonesia Content Correspondent
The morning air in Jembrana was cool and fresh when the Riverboom 7 team—Deni, Parizi, and Syahdan—set out for another mission at Tukadaya River. With gloves tightened, boots strapped, and gear ready, they moved with high energy and a shared determination: to restore one of the many rivers that feeds into Bali’s fragile coastal ecosystem.
When they arrived at Muncar Beach, the reality of the challenge became clear. Plastic bottles, food wrappers, styrofoam fragments, and other debris covered the sand, some tangled in natural debris and fish scales. The crew immediately spread out along the shoreline. Using rakes to reach debris buried deep in the sand, they filled sack after sack, tying each one off with rope once full.
The team has seen this pattern many times before, not only in Jembrana but across Indonesia. For many communities, rivers have become a convenient disposal ground, even though the cost is ultimately paid by nature.
Pulling the truck tire out of the river quickly became the toughest part of the day. It took strategy, strength, and a lot of teamwork to dislodge it from the mud. What could have been a frustrating moment, however, turned into one filled with laughter and encouragement. Side by side, the crew pushed, pulled, and motivated one another until the tire finally rolled onto the riverbank.
“Every activity brings new lessons,” one team member reflected. “Although the challenges are different each time, working together makes everything feel lighter. There is a unique satisfaction in seeing the river become clean again, even though we realize this work cannot be completed in just one effort.”
By the end of the morning, the team had removed 630.84 lbs. of waste from the river. Most of it came from household sources—plastic packaging, disposable diapers, and cloth—but the truck tire stood out as a clear reminder of the scale of the problem.
Once the waste was cleared, the difference was visible immediately. The river’s flow was smoother, the surface was free of floating trash, and the banks began to look like a place where life could return. For the crew, the sight reaffirmed why even small steps matter in protecting rivers.
While the cleanup focused on waste removal, the team also used the opportunity to connect with local residents who passed by. They shared a simple but powerful message: keeping the river clean means protecting everyone’s health. It was a reminder that the issue is not just about the river itself, but about daily choices and habits that can either harm or heal the environment.
Cleaning Tukadaya River was not just about one day’s work—it was about planting the seed of awareness in the community. Change may not come overnight, but consistency and togetherness can transform both rivers and mindsets.
The Riverboom 7 team left tired but fulfilled, knowing their small step had made a big difference. The river was flowing clearer, the ecosystem had a chance to recover, and perhaps most importantly, their efforts carried a message of hope: when people work together, nature has a chance to heal.
