I volunteered in the beach cleanup drive in support of the World Coastal Day celebration at Dumas Beach in Surat, Gujarat, to promote awareness and get rid of debris that had been left on the beach for a very long time, which includes; polythene bags, glass bottles, vegetable and fruit peels, etc. I could clearly relate to this problem after seeing the massive amounts of non-biodegradable trash along the coast the weekend before, so when this opportunity presented itself, I decided to take it in order to do my part to protect mother nature.

Throughout the beach cleanup, I gained a good understanding of the environmental issues we are dealing with as a result of my CAS experience, and what I have learned is that garbage is a serious threat in and near beach areas, and that we must keep our beaches clean by raising awareness and engaging in cleanup drives to preserve our ecological environment. 

LEARNING OUTCOMES : 

LO4 – [ Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experience ]

In this experience, I displayed perseverance and commitment by doing the chore of cleaning the beach. We drove to the location early in the morning, where we cleaned the debris waste along the beach area and helped raise awareness amongst the general public present at the beach.

LO5 – [ Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively ]

Working cooperatively and collaboratively had helped us to collect more trash and also motivated us all to collect more for better environmental sustainability.

LO6 – [ Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance ]

Human intervention, land pollution and climatic change are the major issues being addressed here; they can threaten the vulnerable coastal habitat, which is home to a wide range of plants and animals. The sustainability of our ecological system can be harmed by beaches that are littered with junk, so we should ensure to enjoy the beach without jeopardizing it. Beaches can be destroyed if we don’t protect them properly which could be a threat to the entire ecosystem. 

LO7 – [ Recognize and consider the ethics of choices and action ]

By participating in the beach cleanup initiative and keeping the social purpose in mind, together with my friends, I cleaned the beach by sweeping away trash from the area and raising awareness of the need to protect the ocean and marine life, which will benefit our community. I felt that this action was morally correct because it benefited the community and my efforts to preserve the environment paid off. 

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