Preserve the Pristine
Project Details
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6 motivated youth take on ocean plastic pollution through a remote access beach cleanup on islands of the Sunshine Coast. Using a boat, the youth were able to remove an entire pickup truck worth of plastic and styrofoam debris from Thormanby and Sangster Island.
Project Description
We cleaned up multiple beaches on two remote islands off the Sunshine Coast; Thormanby Island and Sangster Island. We used a boat to access these islands. We removed large pieces of styrofoam and other plastic debris such as floats, rope, and bottles. I went through training to become a member of the Ocean Legacy Ocean Plastic Depot program at the Sechelt Landfill to recycle our marine waste. One of our volunteers brought his pickup truck to haul out the waste to the Landfill. We stayed at an Airbnb for two nights and we provided food for the crew. The weather was good, light rain and calm seas with some sun on the last day.
This project has been created in commemoration of the lives of all the victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, including two Ocean Bridge ambassadors, Danielle Moore and Micah Messent. We aspire to carry on their legacy and commitment to making the world a better place by creating long-lasting impacts with a firm commitment to driving positive change for the environment and our ocean. We will never forget the light that Danielle and Micah brought to the world and will continue to keep them in our hearts. To learn more about these two amazing people, please visit: Honouring Danielle and Micah – Ocean Wise. This work is partially funded by the Commemoration Fund for Victims of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Tragedy.
What was your biggest challenge?
Planning around the weather. We had a few dates in mind that the whole crew was available. We got our weather window a few days earlier than expected and booked our accommodations just two days before the event. Everyone pulled a few strings to make the event happen, I had to cancel some plans with an out-of-town friend, and our videographer had to take a day off of work. It was satisfying to see everything come together so smoothly, we did not run into a single problem.
What was your most valuable takeaway?
I was astonished at how much trash we were able to remove, it was empowering to see what a crew of youth could accomplish in a few days. I feel more hopeful for the future if we all start to pitch in towards a cleaner tomorrow.
