On Sunday, June 12, 2022, we participated in a beach cleanup organized by NPO Suzu Hana & Poka Poka.
At 10:00 in the morning, there was a greeting from Suzuka-san, followed by a presentation on Beach Clean Bingo by the members of the Suzuka High School Volunteer Club Kuore, and then a picture-story show about ocean plastics by the members of the Merinol Academy Volunteer Club. I was surprised that there was even a volunteer club, but quite a number of students from six different high schools participated in the event. It was a great pleasure to see so many young people with a high awareness of environmental issues.
Marine plastics are plastic debris floating in the ocean, and those that have been reduced in size over time are called microplastics. The amount of plastic debris that washes into the ocean each year can amount to more than 10 million tons, and it washes up on beaches. It is well known that marine organisms eat the smaller plastic trash, mistaking it for food, as one of the environmental problems.
I was impressed by the large number of high school students and young people who participated in the beach cleanup, and I felt that they are all very passionate about environmental issues. I was also surprised that the amount of trash was much smaller than expected. I had an image that the beach was littered with debris, but it seems that various NPOs and others regularly conduct cleanup activities at Chiyozaki Beach, so the beach was very clean.
The same goes for the garden and the ocean. If you take care of them diligently, you will surely see results. I was very impressed and learned a lot as I watched them work together as one, eagerly looking down and picking up trash in the heat of the day.