I recently visited Bunaken Island in Sulawesi (Indonesia) for scuba diving. I was saddened by the state of the water and beaches there. Apparently the locals in the nearby city Manado dump their garbage directly into the water, and the results can all too clearly be seen in the water and on the beaches of Bunaken. 

I've attached a number of photos that I took during my stay (see my image gallery), which should give you an idea of how far the littering has gone. The locals on Bunaken clean the beach for hours every morning to remove the rubbish, and the photos also show what the beach looks like after their persistent efforts.

If there is anything you can do to stop, or at least reduce, the dumping of garbage in the ocean around this area it would be greatly appreciated. The beautiful coral reefs and nature of Bunaken deserves better.

Feel free to publicise these photos if it helps the cause (as long as you credit me as taking them). Please let me know if you need larger versions. I will send these photos to other environmental organizations as well, in hope that someone will take appropriate action.

Sincerely

Andreas Andersson

Stockholm, Sweden