Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Courtesy of Suriantha Siagian’s Facebook page
A man who received an award from CNN for handing out free rice and encouraging people to collect plastic bottles for recycling has been praised on social media.
Suriantha Siagian was given the full CNN Hero award last week for his charity inspired people in Bali to be kinder to nature.
His messages on social media, including the sharing of his free 1kg bags of rice, are getting people thinking about using less plastic.
His Facebook page, which is visible to everyone, currently has more than 45,000 “likes”.
“I want to help and was introduced to the idea of collecting plastic bottles and recycling it to create change,” Mr Siagian told CNN.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Suriantha Siagian (l) said the people of Bali have helped him to understand the importance of nature
In the interview, which was given last week in Orlando, he added: “The most beautiful thing is I think we can live a better life.
“Maybe God has a soul, and maybe that’s what’s happening in nature. What’s happening is that nature is responding to the man’s and the woman’s actions.”
Now, his message is becoming a rallying cry for social media users who want to reuse more and recycle less.
Earlier this month he shared a photo of a pile of plastic bottles on Facebook and said the world is “really turning a corner”.
1,000,000 pounds: Can you imagine? If Mr Siagian can, you can recycle 1,000,000 pounds of plastic, but this garbage stinks. Why not. #IdealismWins pic.twitter.com/Nw6KrBY8Ac — Suriantha Siagian (@JakartanThreatS) May 20, 2018
Photos on his Facebook page show tens of thousands of free plastic bags from China that Mr Siagian gave out.
His message: “I feel proud and thankful when I receive these bags. Hundreds of people have been coming to collect plastic bottles for recycling and I have never received this many people before.”
Another Facebook post that has gone viral shows what happens when boxes of plastic bottles are washed through garbage bags to collect and collect and collect.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The plastic is washed through rubbish bags to be recycled
“I will not let up, I want to make a difference in the world,” Mr Siagian said in the CNN interview.
His Facebook page shows even more of his keenened awareness of the environment.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption People have posted pictures of the detritus in Bali showing that plastic is gathering everywhere
When a journalist from the Daily Mail asked what he felt about the oceans drowning his body, Mr Siagian wrote: “Hurt and sad, I’m grateful I can make a positive change.
“Somebody had to do it, it can’t just be my son. It’s important we want to live a better life.”
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Social media users loved how Mr Siagian was encouraging people to recycle plastics
Mr Siagian was presented with his CNN Hero award last week by CNN’s Black Rose award-winning journalist Sara Sidner.
“What you’re doing is profound and inspiring,” she said to him as she gave him the award.
CNN’s Heroes are recognised people around the world who are changing the world for the better and have demonstrated unselfish action that the rest of us can emulate.
