Nuku’alofa, Tonga – Miss Heilala Racheal Guttenbeil was spotted tending to her vegetable garden dressed in elegant Tongan formal attire to mark World Environment Day.
This year’s global campaign, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” highlights the urgent need to combat the devastating effects of plastic waste on ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.
The Miss Heilala Pageant shared a photo of Miss Guttenbeil crouching beside a vegetable planter box, gently touching the leaves of an onion plant.
The caption calls on the public to support environmental conservation and urges everyone to join their plant-growing initiatives, reduce plastic use, and preserve water sources.
It also states:
“Remember: Every small action counts toward a healthier, cleaner, and greener future.”
The beauty queen’s symbolic gesture not only honoured Tonga’s rich traditions but also reinforced the importance of sustainable living.
By merging cultural heritage with environmental activism, Miss Heilala sent a powerful message about preserving natural and cultural treasures for future generations.
Her initiative follows Tonga’s recent Emancipation Day celebrations, where the reigning Beauty Queen paid tribute to the national holiday by donning the country’s colours—red and white—while holding a kele’a, a cultural symbol of something of great importance.
As nations worldwide unite to reduce plastic waste, Tonga’s beauty ambassadors are leading by example, proving that tradition and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
