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A man creates a body shape of styrofoam ogoh-ogoh on March 9, 2023 at the ogoh-ogoh craft and seller in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Ogoh-ogoh, giant menacing-looking dolls, are paraded through streets a day before Nyepi, the Balinese day of silence. In the last few decades, inorganic material such as polystyrene foam, locally known as styrofoam, has been adopted as the preferred material. Miniatures start at 150,000 Indonesian Rupiah (USD 9); large effigies can sell for as much as IDR 4,000,000 (USD 260). The materials used to make the effigies are highly damaging to the environment and contains possible human carcinogens. Without meaningful recycling, plastic and other waste ends up in landfills or leaks into the ocean instead. In 2015, a global study estimating inputs of plastic waste into the oceans ranked Indonesia as the second largest contributor to plastic marine pollution. In 2017, another study ranked four Indonesian rivers in the worlds most polluting top 20. There has been a growing movement towards the use of environmentally friendly materials and a return to the traditional weaving of bamboo, led by the Balinese youth community. Re-embracing the old method of crafting ogoh-ogoh using eco-friendly and recyclable materials such as plaited bamboo, wood, paper pulps, plastic waste, natural ingredients, and innovation with metal rods, the production process is much longer and involves youth learning the traditional skill of ngulat (weaving) bamboo strips. This method is not only more eco-friendly but also more effective at building a sense of camaraderie and raising awareness about protecting the environment through cultural traditions. (Photo by Agung Parameswara/Getty Images)
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