''Plastic Free Boy'' - Arlian Eckar

About Arlian Ecker

A young environmental fighter has carried his fight against garbage to the Great Barrier Reef, with a message for youngsters all across the world. Plastic Free Boy, Arlian Ecker, moved from Byron Bay to Far North Queensland in May on a quest to raise awareness about the reef and what we can all do to protect it. "It's like we're going from paradise to paradise," Arlian adds, "and it feels amazing to be able to relocate to a spot right adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest and share our love and inspiration with people all over the globe."

Arlian grew up in both Australia and Austria. He is currently based in Australia. Arlian's passion is to prevent plastic waste in the ocean. His goal began on his 11th birthday in January 2017, when he witnessed three sea turtles being released back into the ocean. He discovered that plastic pollution was harming them. He also discovered that by the time he is 42, there will be more garbage in the ocean than fish. He understood that not only would this have a significant impact on marine life, but it will also have a significant impact on humanity since millions of people who rely on fish will become ecological refugees. Everyone has the potential to be a Super Hero. He believes and has deeper trust that his generation, is the key to change. He inspires children to become future leaders via engaging and exciting instruction. He is also been awarded the 'Green Globe Awards' by the NSW Department of Environment and 'Student Awards' by the NSW Department of Education - for teaching communities about the reduction of waste.

Arlian has resolved to do something to aid our future, and the only way to do so is to convey the message to every other child on the earth. Kids might sometimes feel helpless when it comes to the issues they learn about in school, but what if they all learn that they matter and can make a difference, and even better, learn how to take action? This not only fulfills curricular requirements but also addresses the rising prevalence of depression among young people.

Plastic Alarm- Documentary

The 15-year-old first appeared in 2019, promoting a documentary, ''Plastic Alarm'' he co-produced with his mother, Karin, to promote his vision for a plastic-free society. 'Plastic Alarm,' a documentary about the challenges and solutions to plastic pollution, has been screened in classrooms all around the world. "It's chock-full of ideas for preserving the Great Barrier Reef, coral reefs, and the Daintree Rainforest. And the two ecosystems are so intertwined that one cannot exist without the other "Arlian clarified. "We wanted to keep filming for the previous two years and never got around to it, so we said, 'Let's go, let's film,'" Karin explained. Days are spent assessing the reef, cleaning up the mess, and spreading the word about how important it is to conserve this natural treasure.

The water provides 60 to 80 percent of the oxygen we breathe on a global scale. The Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs are critical components of the ecosystem. "What I've noticed is that certain coral reefs have started to recover from recent bleaching episodes in 2017, 18, 19 even, and that some coral reefs have recovered or are recovering from cyclone events," Arlian added. "Over the last four years, they've educated over a million children in Australian and international schools, spreading the message abroad''. "Arlian wants to encourage those youngsters to come out and visit the Great Barrier Reef''.

Arlian continues his mission to start engaging students in schools in trying to protect the ocean and our waterways, not only for marine animals but also for the succeeding generations, by emphasising scientific facts such as microplastic and its impacts on human health, after visiting over 67 preschools, primary schools, and some high schools. His continuous filmmaking endeavour as well as foreign-speaking appearances have been covered by major news outlets. Before travelling south again, the duo plans to stay at Port Douglas to record the coral spawning event on the reef, which will also be included in the documentary.The documentary will be released in the first quarter of next year.