In light of all that’s going on with BP, China spills and proposed British Columbia pipeline disasters-waiting-to-happen, I bring you my public service announcement.
We might not be able to fix the BP or China mess and though we can certainly make our voices heard against the pipeline plan…the most tangible thing we can do is at least pick up the trash on our beaches.
This doesn’t have to remain a Canadian commitment either. For anyone reading outside of our borders, maybe you have something like this going already? Or perhaps you’d like to copy this campaign?
However, we do it…let’s just do it. I’ve pasted the press release below.
About the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation in action program that began in 1994 with a handful of Vancouver Aquarium employees who wanted to participate in the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.
In 2009, nearly 57,000 Canadians registered to cleanup 1,568 sites across Canada. Over 160,900 kg of litter was removed from a cumulative distance of 2,500 km of shoreline, which is equivalent to the approximate driving distance from Vancouver to the Manitoba/Ontario border.
Some of the more unusual items found in the past include a message in a bottle (the message said, “Please don’t litter”), false teeth, a living room set, a canoe made out of duct tape, wedding dress, disco ball, a hotel safe, a toboggan, a mini trampoline and a clothesline complete with poles and pins. Now in its 17th year, this year’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup takes place from September 18–26, 2010. For more information or to register please visit shorelinecleanup.ca
Media Contacts
Jean Fong jean.fong@vanaqua.org
1-800-375-8776
Communications & Special Events Coordinator – Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
For a few years we used to clean a beach in Wales, now we clean a brook near where we live. It is amazing what we find – leather jackets, bits or motorbikes, wheels, shopping trolleys and the list goes on….
I wonder how the wildlife can survive with all this trash !