If you have a choice to dive in a soup of plastic, the smell of petrol around you, seeing more rubbish than fish or diving in crystal clear water? The choice is easy isn't it?

Marine debris also affects reefs in many areas. Marine debris is any human-made object that is discarded, disposed of, or abandoned that enters coastal and ocean waters. Debris may enter directly from a ship or indirectly when washed out to sea via rivers, streams, and storm drains. Hundreds of human-made items end up as marine debris, including plastics (from bags to balloons, hard hats to fishing line), glass, metal, rubber (millions of tires!), and even entire vessels.

Plastic debris kills several reef species. Derelict (abandoned) fishing nets and other gear—often called "ghost nets" because they still catch fish and other marine life despite being abandoned—can entangle and kill reef organisms and break or damage reefs. Even remote reef systems suffer the effects of marine debris.

This is why Oceans 5 dive resort organizes every week a Beach and Reef clean up in the Harbor of Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia. Most of the time our Divemaster trainees, instructors, divemasters, and diveguides are organizing the event. Everyone can join, divers and non divers. It is free. The goal is to take all the rubbish out of the harbor of Gili Air. This is a hard job because during raining season it looks like that the harbor attracts all the rubbish and that the reefs collect it. But Oceans 5 dive resort believes that something has to be done. And with little help we try to protect a beautiful reef in front of the dive shop.

If you are on Gili Air, Indonesia just visit us if you want to know more about the clean ups or if you want to join.

Marine debris is everyone's problem. It is a global problem affecting everything from the environment to the economy; from fishing and navigation to human health and safety; from the tiniest coral polyps to giant blue whales. Marine debris also comes in many forms, from a cigarette butt to a 4,000-pound derelict fishing net.

Marine debris is a problem we can solve together. Although marine debris is found worldwide, we can all help with the smallest actions. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and participate in local beach or stream cleanups. If we each do a little, together we can make a big difference