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This weblog was written by Catarina Pereira. Catarina is a Digital Companion Account Supervisor for the UK since she joined Cisco 5 years in the past. She was additionally concerned within the Lisbon Cisco Inexperienced Group since day one and is now co-leading the group. The Lisbon Inexperienced Group is an energetic community that has the mission of “Empower ALL Cisco staff to allow optimistic environmental and sustainable change.”
This week Portugal welcomed the United Nations Oceans Summit in Lisbon. The primary week of July additionally occurs to be Clear Seashores Week, which is called the “Earth Day” for seashores.
Cisco’s Catarina Pereira
All of us have heard concerning the Nice Pacific Rubbish Patch. However other than this, have you ever ever considered all different rubbish patches scattered throughout the globe, which have a huge effect on marine life, and likewise on our capability to get pleasure from our environment?
Portugal’s coast is round 950km (590 miles) lengthy, and I’m not even counting the islands (Madeira and Azores). The explanation why that is essential data is as a result of nearly all of our shoreline is roofed by lovely seashores that everybody likes to get pleasure from on great summer time days.
Nonetheless, and as you may most likely think about, our seashores will be inundated with not solely trash that some individuals depart behind, but additionally the 0cean shares among the trash again with us. That is extra severe in some areas of the nation, and if it wasn’t for the quite a few seashore cleansing actions, I’m certain our seashores wouldn’t be as lovely and welcoming as they nonetheless are.
The Lisbon Cisco Inexperienced Group has been organizing seashore cleansing actions as one in all our staple occasions. We now have quite a few occasions and examples that we might share with you, however at present I’m going to speak to you about one in all my favourite previous actions.
Let’s return to April 2018. On the time, we determined to strategy the municipality of a really touristic place half-hour north of Lisbon. I reside there myself, and I used to be confronted on a weekly foundation with the catastrophe of strolling my canine by way of “my” lovely seashore, coated by trash that the ocean introduced again to our shores. We needed to do one thing impactful, and the municipality beloved the concept and supported the Lisbon Cisco Inexperienced Group on this mission of organizing a seashore cleansing within the Foz do Lisandro Seashore, a part of Ericeira village.
Volunteers selecting up trash on the seashore
On that day, the Lisbon Inexperienced Group and Mafra Municipality gathered greater than 180 people aged 4 to 88. The group included Cisco volunteers, individuals from the Movimento é Vida! group (which is a gaggle of individuals over 65 years of age) and a gaggle of youngsters from the native college that needed to hitch us in caring for our seashore. We have been additionally joined by locals and vacationers who felt they might contribute.
In solely 2 hours, we gathered as a lot trash as we might, which totaled 1500 kgs (over 3,300 lbs). Sure, 1500kgs in simply 2 hours. And this is the reason that is nonetheless my favourite seashore cleansing story. The variety of individuals we had there, acutely aware that what they have been doing was essential and impactful. The power to assemble “grandparents” and “grandchildren” in the identical exercise, and the notice we have been in a position to generate in all the group.
Trash discovered on the seashore, together with plastic ropes and different supplies that aren’t biodegradable
After today, we checked out what was included within the 1500 kgs of trash, and let me let you know, fishery leftovers have been the primary factor. From outdated nets that have been entangled into an enormous messy pile of plastic rope, to floaters, plastic containers, and even items of boat. It was mind-blowing to know how impactful fishery will be on the one useful resource that provides us what we purpose to get by fishing,
We additionally discovered enormous piles of outdated water bottles, yogurt packages, items of lighters, straws, outdated cans…you title it, we discovered it!
Faculty youngsters serving to with the seashore clean-up
The municipality was very grateful that we put collectively all this, not solely as a result of Praia da Foz do Lisandro had a brand new face but additionally as a result of the area people obtained concerned. Consciousness was most likely the very best final result for the locals.
After greater than 4 years after this seashore cleansing exercise, we nonetheless see trash on the sand and the rocks, however nothing like earlier than, and are you aware why? When you ever go to that seashore outdoors the summer time season, you’ll most likely stumble upon somebody carrying a field or trash bag and amassing items of particles. And that is additionally a major final result of this story.
Cisco workers serving to to select up trash discovered on a seashore
When you learn up till this level, I’ve one thing to ask you. Subsequent time you see a bit of rubbish, decide it up and deposit it the place it belongs. One single motion, from one single individual, could seem as insignificant as a drop within the ocean. However collectively, if all of us take motion we are able to have a huge effect. And you may be greater than only one drop within the ocean, you may be a power for good.
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