Every third Saturday of September, millions of volunteers around the world participate in cleaning up beachfronts and water ways. It is a joint effort by individuals and organizations to collect garbage which:
Kills marine life including fish, whales, and coral reefs
Injures humans who swim in the oceans or walk on the beaches
Destroys boat propellers
Causes sickness and injury to living creatures in the oceans and rivers
A video on the Internet shows a marine turtle with a plastic straw embedded in its nostril. When it is pulled out, bleeding begins.
Another sad story is of a dead whale whose stomach is found full of plastic garbage. Marine turtles or pawikan are also victims of deadly floating plastic.
When plastic particles break into smaller pieces, they are consumed by ducks and fish. In time, the creatures are poisoned and killed. Sometimes, the toxic wastes in the water cause horrible skin diseases.
It is time to stop the assault and clean up our act—clean up the mess we have thrown at the doorstep of our marine neighbors. On Sept. 19, help clean a river or beach area. There is so much to do!
We need more hands, more help, more action! Respect marine life—the children of Mother Earth—and respect the environment that sustains us all. Make a difference and change our outlook forever.
E-mail pdilotuspond@gmail.com.