As part of the July Plastic Free campaign, the National Environment Service (NES), through the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), delivered the Plastic2Paradise Competition 2026 to encourage creativity, environmental awareness and practical action to reduce plastic pollution.The competition encouraged the community to think about the plastics we use every day, particularly unnecessary single-use plastics, and consider simple ways to refuse, reduce, reuse and choose more sustainable alternatives.
Plastic2Paradise brought this message to life by inviting participants from Rarotonga and the Pa Enua to creatively show how plastic waste can be reduced, reused or transformed, while also celebrating traditional and sustainable alternatives.
Participants entered across four categories: Infographic Design, Social Media Video, Traditional & Sustainable Alternatives, and Plastic Sculpture.
Congratulations to our winners
Infographic – Youth
1st – Janine Eli
2nd – Gabriel Eli
3rd – Malina Eli
Infographic – Open
1st – Jessica Miyuki
2nd – Selane Tairea
3rd – Mera Seba
Social Media Video – Open
1st – Daniel Fisher
2nd – Jessica Miyuki
3rd – Ferdinand Macanas Jr
Traditional & Sustainable Alternatives – Rarotonga
Youth: Linda Tangata – 1st
Open: Sabine Janneck – 1st
Traditional & Sustainable Alternatives – Pa Enua
Youth: Mauloa Harry – 1st
Plastic Sculpture – Rarotonga Youth
1st – Melelani Fisher-Strickland
Plastic Sculpture – Rarotonga Open
1st – Mariolito Tagoy / Trixie Aberde
2nd – Quincy
3rd – Jessica Miyuki
Plastic Sculpture – Rarotonga Group Open
1st – FILCOM
2nd – Parmesh – Pacific Resort
3rd – Victoria Fatiaki
Plastic Sculpture – Rarotonga Group Youth
1st – Naava Brown
2nd – Ezra Mitchell
Plastic Sculpture – Pa Enua Group
1st – Araura Primary School
Plastic2Paradise was more than a competition. It was an opportunity to start conversations about the amount of plastic we use and throw away, and the role we can all play in reducing plastic pollution.
Through the wider Plastic Free campaign, NES continues to encourage individuals, families, schools, businesses and communities to make simple changes — from refusing unnecessary single-use plastics and using reusable alternatives, to bringing back traditional practices that reduce our reliance on plastic.
NES extends a big meitaki maa’ta to everyone who participated and supported Plastic2Paradise, and congratulations to all our 2026 winners. Winning entries will be posted on the NES Facebook page.
The Plastic2Paradise Competition was supported through the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP), funded by the Australian Government and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), with NES as the executing agency in the Cook Islands.
