Swachh Beach! ‘Earth Day’ marked by Cleaning City Beaches by APD Foundation and AWHC
Swachh Beach! ‘Earth Day’ observed by Cleaning City Beaches by APD Foundation and Antony Waste Handling Cell
Mangaluru: Earth Day has become a global event each year, and more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world. It is a day of political action and civic participation. People march, sign petitions, meet with their elected officials, plant trees, clean up their towns and roads. Corporations and governments use it to make pledges and announce sustainability measures. Faith leaders, including Pope Francis, connect Earth Day with protecting God’s greatest creations, humans, biodiversity and the planet that we all live on.
Earth Day worldwide theme for 2018 is to End Plastic Pollution, including creating support for a global effort to eliminate primarily single-use plastics along with global regulation for the disposal of plastics. Various programmes/Projects are held in educating millions of people about the health and other risks associated with the use and disposal of plastics, including pollution of our oceans, water, and wildlife, and about the growing body of evidence that plastic waste is creating serious global problems.
From poisoning and injuring marine life to the ubiquitous presence of plastics in our food to disrupting human hormones and causing major life-threatening diseases and early puberty, the exponential growth of plastics is threatening our planet’s survival. And locally, Anti Pollution Drive {APD} Foundation along with Antony waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd observed Earth Day through unique clean Up of Beaches. APD’s campaign is to End Plastic Pollution, and their goals include ending single-use plastics, promoting alternatives to fossil fuel-based materials, promoting 100 percent recycling of plastics, corporate and government accountability and changing human behavior concerning plastics. Also Educating, mobilizing and activating citizens to demand that governments and corporations control and clean up plastic pollution; Educating people to take personal responsibility for plastic pollution by choosing to reduce, refuse, reuse, recycle and remove plastics.
The rapid increase in the use of plastics has become the biggest threat to our planet and to human survival on it. Hence the ‘End Plastic Pollution’ was declared as the international theme for Earth Day 2018 which was observed globally on 22 April. APD Foundation joined hands with Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd to observe 48th World Earth Day by cleaning up the Panambur beach; and Kasaba Bengre. APD volunteers along with pourakarmikas and Antony Waste Handling Cell officials participated in the program to raise global concern to end plastic pollution.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Abdullah A. Rehman, Chief Executive and Founder of APD Foundation said, “Earth Day this year is dedicated to providing information and influence human attitude towards plastic. From poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our waste streams and landfills, the plastic pollution has unavoidable and irreversible consequences. It reminds us of Jacques Cousteau’s words: “Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends have become global garbage cans.”
Also speaking, Santosh Nair, Head of Operations, Antony Waste Handling Cell Pvt Ltd. said “Further action is necessary to keep our coastal city and the Earth itself beautiful and safe for future generations. We are committed to continue the war against harmful impact of plastic through awareness and activism,”. During the two day event, at the two beaches, a large quantity of waste from plastic bottles, snacks wrappers, used paper/plastic plates etc. This makes one to wonder and ask a simple question, “Is this Swachh Bharath we are all looking forward too? Seems like PM Modi’s dream has all been shattered the way citizens are littering the streets, beaches etc ?”