Hundreds of people blanketed Goderich, Ont.’s shoreline Sunday to clean up garbage along the town’s waterfront.
“We find aluminum cans, micro plastics, and water bottle caps. Things like that,” said volunteers Bill and Lucas.
“I love our beach. I think it’s beautiful, and I enjoy it all the time, so I think I should help look after it,” added volunteer beach cleaner, Darlene Menary.
The Lake Huron Coastal Centre is wrapping up Earth Week with its first of 13 beach cleanups taking place this year between Sarnia, Ont. and Tobermory, Ont.
“22 million pounds of garbage ends up in the Great Lakes each year. So we’re here doing the work to mitigate that problem,” said Lake Huron Coastal Centre’s Coastal Stewardship Technician Alyssa Bourassa.
Goderich is doing its best to keep pace with shoreline neighbour Bayfield, Ont., who have been on a campaign since 2018 to rid the tourist town of single use plastics. So far, so good, said Blue Bayfield Coordinator Ray Letheren.
“We are the first community in North America to be regarded as plastic-free, by an organization in the United Kingdom, called Surfers Against Sewage,” said the affable Letheren.
Taking part in Bayfield’s Earth week cleanup, Alexandra Ho, a University of Waterloo student who took part in the COP 27 climate conference last year.
“When we start small, things that have a really meaningful, impactful experience, it’s letting people know that we can make that small scale change. You know one step at a time, scales,” she said.
So, whether it’s pulling a crumpled up boat from Bayfield’s beach, or cigarette butts from Goderich’s shoreline, every little bit helps, said Bourassa.
“It’s very tangible. People think about the environment and what they can do to help, this is one of those things, that anyone can come out and do,” she said.
“This is our beach, and you have to keep it clean,” said Bill and Lucas.
You can learn more about Lake Huron’s beach cleanups here.
