| It’s a Big Job, and Ocean Conservancy Volunteers are Doing It |
| Friday, 01 October 2010 18:42 | |||
 Washington, D.C., October 2010 — In the waning days of last month, Ocean Conservancy and hundreds of thousands of volunteers nationwide and around the world hit their local beaches, lakes, rivers, and waterways as part of Ocean Conservancy’s 25th International Coastal Cleanup – the world’s largest volunteer effort for ocean health. www.oceanconservancy.org
Participants spent a few hours removing trash and debris from the water and coastlines, all the while keeping track of every piece of trash they found. Ocean Conservancy uses the data collected to produce the world’s only annual country-by-country, state-by-state index covering the problem of marine debris. The report is shared with the public, industry, and government officials as they work together to pioneer innovative solutions to this global pollution problem. “This is a defining moment for our ocean, the life-support system for our planet,” explained Vikki Spruill, president and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. “Ocean pollution in all its forms is one of the most serious environmental threats we face – whether it’s carbon pollution changing the ocean’s chemistry, oil pollution from the BP oil disaster, or the rising tide of marine debris. “The trash that litters our beaches and chokes our inland waterways and ecosystems is a threat to wildlife, our coastal economies, and ultimately to the ability of the ocean to sustain us. The international coastal cleanup gives everyone a chance to act locally to make a difference, while being a part of the remarkable global movement that has continued over the last 25 years. Trash doesn’t fall from the sky, it falls from our hands – it is entirely preventable,” Spruill added. Providing a more detailed picture of the marine debris problem enables elected officials to make informed policy decisions, strengthens community efforts to tailor and expand recycling and other trash-reduction programs, informs corporate decision makers seeking to improve technology and reduce packaging, and encourages individuals to recycle, reuse, and properly dispose of trash. “Momentum is building as the dangers of marine debris to our ecosystem and economy become more widely understood, and as an increasing number of corporations and policymakers commit themselves to meeting the challenge. Together, we can start a Sea Change,” concluded Ms. Spruill. The Coca-Cola Company has supported the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) for the past 15 years. Two years ago, Coca-Cola launched a multi-year partnership with Ocean Conservancy through a $1 million pledge of support to the ICC. Last year, nearly 42,000 Coca-Cola system associates, their friends and families in 32 markets around the world participated in the ICC, contributing nearly 265,000 hours of volunteer time. As part of its $20 billion, 10-year business initiative to address climate change, Bank of America has supported the ICC for the past several years, with thousands of associates participating in Cleanup events across the United States and around the world. Other national sponsors include Altria Group, Inc.; Booz Allen Hamilton; The Dow Chemical Company; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); The Solo Cup Company; and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ocean Conservancy is the world's foremost advocate for the oceans. Through science-based advocacy, research, and public education, we inform, inspire and empower people to speak and act for the oceans. Ocean Conservancy is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has offices in Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific, with support from more than half a million members and volunteers. To learn more about Ocean Conservancy visit www.oceanconservancy.org. SOURCE: Ocean Conservancy
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