Plastic trash, household odds and ends: during the summer season, the beaches and ocean are put under considerable pressure by the arrival of the masses of vacationers that often forget the simple steps to protect this fragile environment. Even if the local government works all year long against this pollution, the protection of the coast should be made at the source, a part of good citizenship.
The Daily Upkeep of Beaches: Biarritz Sets an Example
As an example, all of the beaches of Biarritz are cleaned daily with the help of a permanent crew and dedicated machinery. This work is supported by crucial manual clean-up, performed several times a day. Starting in March, the crew increases progressively in number. In the beginning of June, a dozen seasonal workers join the ranks of the regular crew!
The cleaning also takes place at sea, to get trash before it reaches swimming areas, thanks to a small flotilla of boats and jet-skis. In July and August, these boats collected around 10 tons of trash!
However, the problem must be treated at the source
If local government takes the problem seriously and try to stop it, the only way to prevent the increase of beach pollution are preventative measures, so that everyone participates in preserving the environment. Some NGOs, like Surfrider Foundation, understand this principle and have been working for many years to educate the public about it.
Many initiatives are undertaken regularly, like the Ocean Initiatives, that Laboratoires de Biarritz has participated in for years.
The message is clear: beach pollution can only be reduced by a common effort. Even if this effort is extremely simple, unfortunately it is still ignored by many, judging by the enormous amount of trash collected every year on our beaches.
The path ahead is still long to make the general public fully aware of the impact of their habits on the coast. A single cigarette butt, multiplied by the thousands, can have disastrous consequences on the oceans flora and fauna for example.
But what exactly is it for?
- To encourage people to take action: Surfrider Foundation Europe supports volunteers in organizing self-directed cleaning with a range of tools and a pedagogical edge.
- To raise the awareness of many: by joining one of the cleanups organized as part of the Ocean Initiatives, participants become aware of the impacts of waste pollution directly on the ground.
- Going to the source of the problem: by informing Surfrider Foundation Europe about the garbage collected during their cleanup, volunteers contribute to pollution research and influence the laws.
The message is clear: the pollution of beaches can only be reduced by the effort of each. If this effort is extremely simple, it is unfortunately still ignored by many, to believe the huge amount of waste collected each year on our beaches.
The road will be long to make the public aware of the impact of their actions on the coast. A simple butt, multiplied by several thousand people, for example has disastrous consequences on the fauna and the marine flora.
The struggle is far from being in vain, and luckily there are more and more of us spreading this important message! It is thanks to you that we preserve the ocean ?