Otherwise, the shock treatment alone may leave volunteers feeling helpless,” she says. “That alone can be a shock treatment but it needs to be accompanied with an educational or follow-up action. The olive ridley turtle is one of the many marine species threatened by plastic pollution. Tiza Mafira, lawyer and director of the non-profit Indonesia Plastic Bag Diet Movement, says beach cleanups give volunteers a clear sense of the scale of the problem. When volunteers see just how much plastic is deposited on our shores, they are often inspired to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics, and, crucially, to spread the word to others. Volunteers slept by the nests to protect them from predators and made sure the baby turtles could make their way safely to the sea.īeach cleanups also serve to educate. The vulnerable turtles had not been seen on the beach for decades. Volunteers spotted around 80 olive ridley turtle hatchlings heading towards the sea. In March, it was payback time after all the back-breaking, filthy work. He started picking up the rubbish with a friend and since then his weekend cleans have attracted scores of volunteers who have removed around 13 million kgs of waste in what the UN has called “the world’s largest beach cleanup project”. In 2015, lawyer Afroz Shah decided he had to act after moving into an apartment overlooking the beach and realizing the extent of the plastic pollution. One need look no further than Versova beach in Mumbai. David Katz, the founder and CEO of The Plastic Bank has argued that there's no point cleaning up plastic waste until we address the problem at its source. Cleanups also restore these creatures’ habitats. However, there is compelling evidence that cleanup campaigns, like the Great Plastic Pick Up, do make a difference and not just in the short term.Įvery piece of trash that is taken away to be recycled or deposited in a landfill means there is one less dangerous item for birds, turtles or whales to swallow. What we need to do, they argue, is reduce unnecessary plastic at source, design less harmful products and develop better recycling processes.ĭavid Katz, the founder and CEO of The Plastic Bank, which monetizes plastic waste by turning it into a currency that helps some of the world’s poorest people, likens the problem to an overflowing sink: there is no point in mopping the floor until you turn off the tap. Cleaning a beach is not turning the tide, they say, because the tide will just come in again, depositing more plastic cups, bottles, straws, bags and discarded fishing equipment. (Reuters)Īlthough nobody could doubt the selfless dedication of the thousands who took part, some activists argue that such volunteer clean-ups are not the best way to tackle the plastic pollution that is choking rivers, destroying once-beautiful beaches and costing the lives of whales, seabirds and other wildlife.Ĭritics argue that public cleanups do not address the root causes of this pollution. Prime Minister Theresa May, whose government has pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042, took part at a school in Maidenhead and praised the volunteers for creating a “better environment for us all to share.” Cleanups are good for raising awareness, but critics say they do little to address the source of the problem. The volunteers included young scouts, book club members, martial arts enthusiasts, politicians and celebrities - all giving their time to clear rubbish and raise awareness as part of the three-day campaign organized by the Daily Mail newspaper and environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. Armed with bags, gloves, litter pickers and a strong sense of purpose, around 12,000 men, women and children got to work cleaning Britain’s streets, green spaces and beaches as part of a nationwide Great Plastic Pick Up during a weekend in early May.
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