Written by Denice Cabanban
The Philippine waters faces many challenges in terms of cleanliness and we all know that one of the major contributors of this problem is trash.
People’s rubbish affects the health of marine life and the livelihood of those who depend on it; plastics are being eaten by the turtles and fish which in turn results in their shortened lifespan and a dramatic reduction of population. A filthy shore also has a negative impact on tourism – one of the important sources of economic expansion to some of the country’s communities.
Not to mention – the more trash we throw onto the seas, the more it is difficult and costly is it to remove them.
Scuba for Change is a Not-For-Profit dive centre where every cent is spent funding change. Through their partnership with the Stairway Foundation, they are working to prevent child exploitation throughout the Philippines. At a local level, Scuba For Change provide jobs, training and education to the community.
Recently, the Scuba For Change team decided to take on the issue of ocean trash by organising ocean cleanup activities at Aninuan House Reef. The project SCUBASURA, spearheaded with Scuba For Change, together with Stairway Foundation, Verde Divers and DeepBlu, had the objective of spreading awareness about the issue amongst locals and emphasising the importance of sustaining clean and healthy oceans. It was also an opportunity to empower young people to step up and lead the community in action to protect our ocean.
The team collected 30 kilos of garbage – plastic bags, plastic bottles, diapers, floor coverings (linoleum), clothes, beverage bottles, nappies and snack wrappers among others.
While this is a huge effort, it is not even the tip of the iceberg in regards to the amount of trash in the world’s oceans.
Congratulations to everyone involved in SCUBASURA – you’re actions are an inspiration to others to join the fight to achieve trash-free seas.