It was a sunny day. The sea breeze created a whirlwind around me, causing a chill to run through my body, but the feel of the sand beneath me and the sight of a vast ocean on my horizon warmed my soul. It was the calmness, the peace, after being isolated for so long. It was like being in paradise… Life was returning to normal. However, I saw that some things remained the same… There, along the beach, a trail of trash. Where did it come from?

It is estimated that 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans every year. In 2019, for one month, more than 16 tonnes of rubbish were collected from Portuguese beaches. Pollution has always been a major problem in cities and Aveiro is no exception. It is not only mankind that is affected by its own actions, but also the entire planet. When the waves pick up this trash and wash it out to the open sea, many animals will suffer the consequences of our actions…

Truth is that there are more and more fines to pay, both for not putting cigarette butts in their places and for littering on beaches and in the streets. However, in the vast majority of cases, a change of attitude on the part of the population is not yet visible.

The project “CleanUp Aveiro” appears with the purpose of making Aveiro a cleaner city, raising population’s awareness of the pollution of urban and leisure spaces, such as parks, beaches, and even the street in front of their homes. So, on the afternoon of May 8th, Agora Aveiro got up to work and carried out a beach clean up at Costa Nova and Vagueira beaches. In 3 hours, a total of more than 65 kg of trash was collected, including plastics, glasses, fabrics, ropes and wood. The activities counted with 15 volunteers, and was carried out in partnership with Núcleo de Estudantes de Biologia da Universidade de Aveiro and Associação BioLiving.

Remember: if one day you’re walking on the beach or in the park and you see litter, do something for our Planet. Cleaning our home doesn’t have to be only on a specific date or due to an event. Taking care of our Planet is a daily routine that we all can (and must!) take part in. 

The Recolha de Lixo nas Praias is an action integrated on the “CleanUp Aveiro” project. It was made in partnership with Núcleo de Estudantes de Biologia - AAUAv and Associação BioLiving. It had the support of Aveiro’s City Hall and IPDJ - Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude I.P..