Gran Kaz staff do their part to keep our beaches clean |07 June 2023
In observance of World Environment Day on Monday June 5, 2023, a group of Gran Kaz staff decided to spend their morning doing a clean-up activity on the beaches and surrounding areas along the east coast of Mahé. The activity, which has now become an annual occurrence for Gran Kaz, is part of the company’s community outreach programmes.
“As an environmentally conscious and responsible company, we try to do our bit to keep our environment clean,” says PR and communications manager at Gran Kaz, Shama Amesbury. “Marine debris is becoming an increasingly imminent issue - with at least 14 million tonnes of plastic ending up in the ocean each year. And while marine debris can drift in from shores thousands of miles from our own, it is our responsibility to ensure we are not adding to the problem.”
The staff drove around most of the west and east coast, picking up whatever rubbish they found on the beaches. While some areas, around Anse Boileau and Baie Lazare were relatively trash free, other areas such as Anse Royale and Au Cap were in dire need of attention.
“It was a pleasant surprise for us to see some of the beaches where we stopped were pristine, others however were covered with all kinds of rubbish,” says Ms Amesbury. “Aside from the devastating effects on marine life, polluting the beaches and oceans can have a negative impact on a vast array of areas for Seychelles, not least of which are tourism and the economy. We mustn’t forget that our natural beauty is one of our biggest selling points.”
Among the trash collected were numerous plastic and glass bottles, takeaway boxes and empty packets of juice, biscuits and other snacks, plastic bags and even some used diapers.
“On one beach in particular there were so many cans and bottles all over, some of which were broken and poking out of the sand. Our beaches aren’t only an attraction for tourists, as a small island nation, one of our favourite pastimes is spending a day on the beach. When the beaches are covered in rubbish, especially broken cans and bottles, it not only ruins the beauty of the place, but can also end what should be a fun day out with an unnecessary trip to the ER.”
The staff collected a total of 15 bags of marine debris and post picnic rubbish on the day.
“It doesn’t take much for us to enjoy the beach responsibly, it’s just a matter of ensuring that whatever we bring with us to the beach, we take away with us when we leave.”
Staff participating in the clean-up activity also took the opportunity to send out a World Environment Day message to all:
“Be it big or small, your actions matter – save the environment” – Elna
“Keep the oceans blue, the planet green, and the animals safe” – Ajeesh
“Think Green, Be Green. Stop polluting” – Christopher
“A little effort towards saving the environment is better than no effort” – Keven
“It’s not yours, it’s not mine, it’s ours! Help protect our Mother Earth” – Jonathan
“Seychelles boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Let us preserve what we have for the generations to come” – Shama
“HAPPY WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY!”
Contributed
