Beach Cleanup Day to Celebrate World Biodiversity Day
Around 70 volunteers participated yesterday afternoon in a beach cleanup day organized by the Seville Aquarium and the Cádiz C.F. Foundation, in collaboration with the Environmental Department of the Cádiz City Council. The objective was to celebrate World Biodiversity Day and raise awareness in the community about the serious problem that marine litter represents for our oceans.
Framed within the 4th edition of the “Blue and Yellow Beaches” program of the Cádiz entity, the event had the participation of different associations from the province, who wanted to join this action in favor of caring for our beaches. “The care of the Bay of Cádiz is a shared responsibility that requires the commitment and action of everyone. We rely on volunteers because their help is essential to make our beaches a cleaner and safer place” says Antonio Caro, project manager of the Cádiz C.F. Foundation.
The day began with an educational activity led by the technical team of the Seville Aquarium, who explained the importance of recycling and the small actions that everyone can take at home to care for the environment. Later, volunteers were given the necessary materials for cleaning (all of them environmentally friendly) and several groups were formed to collect and classify the garbage found in the area, ensuring its proper recycling.
“For us, the key is awareness. It’s not an activity due to lack of beach cleaning, but an action to raise awareness of the impact of human action on marine environments and the growing problem of marine litter that affects more living beings each year” declares Susana Montero, director of environmental actions at the Seville aquarium.
In total, 14 kilos of garbage were collected in an action that, according to José Carlos Teruel, delegate of Environment and Cleaning, Beaches and Animal Protection of the Cádiz City Council, is crucial. “The sea is much more than a tourist destination, it’s a vital economic engine for the region. Protecting it means protecting not only its biodiversity, but also the jobs and prosperity it generates in society”.
Most of the garbage found on our beaches has been expelled by the sea, after spending a long period in it. This action aims to show a reality that we cannot see with the naked eye but which increasingly affects the well-being of the oceans.