Aiming to reduce the amount of trash that enters the ocean, 50 QI Thailand employees took time off their weekend to clean up the Bangpu Coast, in Samut Prakan, Thailand. The Bangpu Coast is one of the most important coasts as it helps to protect Bangkok from rising sea levels, a problem that can easily cause massive flooding in the city.
A large amount of the garbage that enters the ocean each year is plastic—and unfortunately, it’s here to stay. Unlike other trash, single-use grocery bags, water bottles, straws and yogurt containers, won’t biodegrade. These plastic wastes can persist in the environment for decades, polluting our beaches, entangling marine life, and causing harm to marine life as well as seabirds.
Upon arriving at the coast, the team started collecting garbage left behind by members of the public. They had to also climb over a 1.5 metre wall that was built to contain the rising sea level to clean the coast. Among the items collected were plastic bottles, styrofoam, fishing net, plastic bags and cigarette butts. The team had spread over to cover 1 km. area and managed to collect nearly 50 kg of garbage during the session.
After the clean-up activity, our volunteers expressed that they are inspired to use less plastic in their day-to-day activities. It was a highly impactful event in making a difference and leaving behind a better environment for the future generation.
