This weekend was the International Coastal Cleanup, a global event organized by the Ocean Conservancy, and millions of volunteers worldwide took to the oceans and coastlines to remove waste.
According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastic has been found in 62% of all sea birds and 100% of sea turtle species. The organization records what types of trash are removed from the oceans to help guide awareness.
The top items collected globally are:
This year volunteers also found four drones, 56 toilets, eight microwaves, five selfie-sticks, and a piano.
Trash Heroes around the world were out this weekend, as they are every week, making big changes in their communities.
- Trash Hero Kertalangu joined a cleanup event called AKSOMA at Biaung Beach in Indonesia removing more than 100kg of trash with community leaders, students of all ages, and the Indonesian National Army.
- Trash Hero Bangkok hauled out their paddleboards to clean Khlong Bang Phli (Taco Lake,) removing 80 kilograms.
- Trash Hero Borneo joined the International Coastal Cleanup for a two-day camping trip as part of the largest coastal clean up in Sabah. Volunteers gathered along Simpang Mengayau collecting waste along beaches spanning 8 villages.
Did your community participate in the International Coastal Cleanup? Let us know! We want to hear your stories and successes!
2 comments
Join the conversationTess Krasne - 25/10/2017
Hi Trash Hero World! My name is Tess Krasne and I work for Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Team. I would love to get in touch with the group organizing cleanups, as we hadn’t heard about them! It would be great to connect with the amazing individuals who are leading these efforts and compile the information from the cleanups to include in our global marine debris dataset. Best, Tess
Marites Winkler - 15/06/2019
Hello Trash Hero World. I would like to volunter to join the organization.Im from philippines.