Keep your local waters clean and healthy with the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
By Ryley Murray
Communications Intern
Become a Shoreline Cleanup Site Coordinator and you could WIN Canon EOS Rebel XS Digital SLR camera!
Laurie works for the City of Pitt Meadows and became involved with the cleanup in 2008. For last year’s cleanup along the Alouette River, Laurie went above and beyond the call of duty and organized a local paddling club to come with their canoes, enabling her team to clean previously inaccessible areas along the river. At the end of the day, Laurie and her group carefully sorted out recyclables from the trash collected, and even returned recyclable beverage containers to fundraise for local charities.
“I also became a volunteer Site Coordinator to build relationships with other community members,” says Laurie.
Like Laurie, you can help keep Canada’s shorelines and waters clean and healthy for everyone, including the wildlife and communities that depend on them. To join, register today for the GCSC from September 17 to 25, 2011.
“Site coordinators are critical to the success of the cleanup,” says Jill Dwyer, program manager for the GCSC. “These outstanding volunteers show us just how much clean, healthy shorelines and communities mean to them.”
Shoreline cleanups are open to everyone across Canada and can take place anywhere land meets water. The GCSC would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of site coordinators. Become a leader in your own neighbourhood, start a new cleanup or join an existing one at shorelinecleanup.ca.
(c) Ken Mak/WWF-Canada
“Rivers are the lifeblood of our planet,” says Tony Maas, Director of WWF’s Freshwater Program. “Keeping them clean and litter-free is an essential first step to protecting the health of these precious freshwater resources.”
The GCSC is supported by partial proceeds from Loblaw’s national pay-for-plastic shopping bag program, which funds green initiatives and helps reduce the number of plastic shopping bags in landfills – and shorelines. In 2010, Loblaw customers used 73% fewer plastic shopping bags than they did before the company implemented the five cent per bag charge. Since 2007, Loblaw has reduced the number of shopping bags from its stores by 2.5 billion.
“We applaud the efforts of our customers in using reusable bag options as the fewer plastic bags in use, the fewer will end up littering our waters,” says Bob Chant, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Loblaw Companies Limited. “Loblaw is proud to sponsor the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and we encourage Canadians to get involved – together we can continue to make a difference.”
Dangers of Shoreline Litter
Shoreline litter and pollution puts ecosystems, wildlife and people at risk. It can degrade water quality through contamination and by preventing the natural cleansing cycles of the plants and animals that live in the ecosystem. Animals run the risk of getting tangled or ingesting litter or other pollutants. It can create dangers for people, as well, and cause economic damage to areas that rely on tourism or water-based industry, like fishing.
Dirty Dozen: Top Litter Items from the 2010 Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
- cigarettes/cigarette filters
- food wrappers
- plastic bags
- caps/lids
- cups and plates
- plastic beverage bottles
- beverage cans
- straws/stirrers
- glass beverage bottles
- paper bags
- cigar tips
- tobacco packaging
