For most of us, the beach is an experience, it is an idyllic get-away. It appeals to our senses: the sounds of waves breaking on the shore, the beautiful view of the sun, the feel of the cool breeze and the touch of the sand between our toes. Unfortunately, all that we can see now on the beaches is plastic wrappers, diapers, and waste.
Cleanups are a way to give those beaches a chance to survive in the natural order. It’s a chance for us to transform these filthy beaches into fabulous ones. And this is what Zsuzsanna Ferrao and Lisbon Ferrao along with their amazing core team members Dr Anjali Gokarn, Dr Akshay Shetty, Paresh Patel, Sandeep Joshi, Siddhesh Nayak do, as they gather around every Sunday morning to clean up Bhuigaon Beach in Vasai.
The planet will no longer be able to sustain itself if we don’t do something about it. Therefore, the team has taken up the challenge to try to undo the damage being done to Mumbai’s coastline and its nearby areas. They are in the Fourth year since the couple started to clean beaches and plant mangrove seedlings. They have crossed 270 tons and 1200 plants so far. The efforts of thousands have shown how determined they are on the pictures on their social media page Vasai Beach Cleaners of 164th weeks so far.
The good work they do has been featured a number of times in newspapers. The couple along with their two little kids started this huge task and took the responsibility of cleaning the beach with garbage bags in hand. They filled the trash bags to their capacities and dropped them into trash bins. The news of her family soon spread like fire on Facebook and eventually, Vasaikars and other people joined in on Sundays volunteering to support and participate in this herculean task.
This team does not only clean beaches. They started to work on the mangroves! They are clearing plastics that flow along with the tide into the mangroves. They have also planted 520 mangrove samplings and work under the name of The Mangrove People.
They take care of everything gloves, masks, garbage bags, snacks, first aid kit and hand sanitisers. By picking up the trash on the shore, they prevent the plastic from reaching the ocean, so it will not endanger the life of marine animals. Should we call them the beach cleaners or the beach avengers? Every effort taken matters, every action taken is considered. From planting mangroves or picking waste, they always work to improve the environment with all possible resources.
This Earth Day, pledge to help nature by joining the team to clean up beaches in Vasai. Leave nothing on the beach but Footprints!
For more information Follow Vasai Beach Cleaners on Facebook
