5 MIN READ
07-14-2025
Flying Hope: From Trash to Message
Ucik, 4ocean Indonesia Content Correspondent
In Bali, kite season isn’t just a tradition — it’s a symbol of hope, creativity, and connection. This year, our 4ocean team found a way to bring that hope to life in a very literal sense. At Wiradana and Putu Adi’s home, the team crafted a special kite, a vibrant tribute to the ocean and its fragile inhabitants. Made from ocean-blue fabric, it proudly displayed the word “4ocean” and a small sea turtle on its wing, a reminder of what we’re working to protect.
What made this kite especially meaningful was its origin: every letter and the tiny turtle were fashioned from scraps of plastic food wrappers — trash collected during one of our recent beach cleanups. Bamboos and other repurposed materials formed the kite’s frame. The act of transforming discarded waste into something that could soar in the sky became a powerful metaphor for the impact small actions can have when channeled with intention.
Putu Adi, the kite’s architect, figured out the design, the curves, and the angles needed to catch the wind. After work, the rest of the team joined in, attaching the recycled letters, reinforcing weak points, and carefully shaping the kite for flight. Working with scraps proved challenging — food wrappers tore easily, letters refused to stay flat, and the fragile frame needed constant attention — but the team persisted, each correction reinforcing the lesson: with patience and care, something beautiful can rise from what we discard.
When the time finally came to launch the kite, the wind had other plans. It took multiple attempts, careful adjustments, and a lot of teamwork to get the kite airborne. And then, suddenly, it caught the breeze and lifted high, gliding across the sky. In that moment, every tear, every struggle, every small frustration turned into a celebration. The kite wasn’t just flying; it was carrying a message. A message about hope, creativity, and the possibility of transformation — from trash to something meaningful, from waste to awareness.
For the 4ocean team, this project was more than a creative exercise. “Who would've thought making a kite could turn into a healing session?” Wiradana said with a smile. It was a quiet, reflective moment where the team bonded, shared stories from past cleanups, and celebrated small victories that often go unnoticed in the field. In the end, the kite stood as a visual symbol of the team’s collective effort and a call to action for anyone who saw it: small, intentional steps can make a difference, whether on land or at sea.
This kite represents 4ocean’s mission in a single sweep of blue and green. The fabric embodies the sea we strive to protect, and the baby sea turtle reminds us of the creatures most vulnerable to plastic pollution. By turning trash into art, the team demonstrated that environmental action doesn’t have to be all heavy lifting — sometimes, it can take flight, inspire, and spread a message far beyond the shore.
