Clean seas v. climate crisis

FEU students, faculty, and staff participated in the Coastal Cleanup activity.

In order to highlight the value of community collaborations and sustainable environmental practices, nearly 100 representatives from Far Eastern University (FEU) collaborated with the Manila local government unit in the largest volunteer effort to clean the oceans and find solutions to pollution during the 40th Coastal Cleanup in Baseco Beach, Tondo, Manila last Sept. 20.

The International Coastal Cleanup is a simultaneous and coordinated activity, the emphasis of which is on organized scientific data collection as volunteers not only pick up litter but also identify and record the trash on a standardized data card to be encoded into a database for analysis by pollution specialists who are racing against time to develop solutions to the marine debris problem.

The activity increased the participants’ awareness on how marine litter impacts vital marine ecosystems.

Through this activity, FEU administrators, faculty, personnel, and students shared a common commitment to environmental stewardship, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 6, 11, 14 and 17 which highlight the importance of clean water, sanitation, and preservation of marine life in ensuring overall health, happiness, and sustainable urban living, as well as safeguarding the earth for future generations.

“[The fatigue is for nothing] because you are doing this for the earth, for yourself, and the future generations,” said one FEU volunteer.