Beach clean filled 7 large bags

Cleaning up Sharky’s took 16 volunteers and a massive effort, writes Sarah Forest, a student from Sciences Po Rennes University on a four-month internship with Surfrider South Coast

On 17 September, Surfrider South Coast hosted a World Clean Up Day event at Sharky Beach in Coledale. It’s an important date on the Surfrider calendar, when the local community comes together to clean up our waterways and beaches.

Much of the waste that we collected was degraded pieces of plastic. Over time and from exposure to the sun and weather elements, these plastics have broken up into tiny microplastics. These small pieces of plastic are not always obvious and we often forget that it is these small particles that do extensive damage to marine life.

Sixteen ocean-loving volunteers turned up and together we stopped seven large bags of rubbish from entering the sea. Thanks to everyone for their massive effort, especially those who waded into the creek. As a result, Sharky Beach and the creeks that feed into it are much cleaner.

World Clean Up Day is a global event where millions of volunteers tackle the global waste problem and develop a sustainable future together. Participants from 191 countries take part.

A few easy ways to be more eco-friendly are to refuse single-use plastic, remember our reusable drink bottles and coffee cups, recycle our waste properly (don’t throw everything in the red bin) and sort our waste to minimise landfill. If you do see rubbish, pick it up and put it in the bin.

My name is Sarah, I am a 20-year-old student from France who is doing an internship with Surfrider. I am mindful of the carbon footprint from my long plane trip, however, this opportunity has provided me with an extraordinary opportunity to discover Australia.

Ever since arriving in the Illawarra I have been amazed by the beauty of the landscapes and especially the beautiful flora. The best way we can protect nature is to see things with our own eyes, and by experiencing nature, we become aware of the huge challenge we are facing. I have met many wonderful people, and thanks to them, I am discovering and enjoying this beautiful part of the world. Wherever you travel, there are ecosystems that we need to protect because we are all dealing with the same issue: climate change.

The most vulnerable people are usually the first to be affected by climate change and, as a result, inequalities continue to increase. We all must do everything we can to reduce our footprint on the environment.

We invite you all to the next Surfrider event on 3 December, when we celebrate Ocean Care Day.

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