DB Green

Big thanks to all the volunteers who’ve come out and still continuing to visit DB- it is just a thrill for all of us in DB Green to see so many enthusiastic beach cleaners. Let’s hope that this is just the beginning of a long association with you all and all the beaches around Hong Kong. It’s an activity you can do any time the mood takes you, at any beach and always makes you feel good when you see what a huge difference a few hands can do! I recommend a beach BBQ or picnic when you’ve finished- such a great way to enjoy the beach you’ve just cleaned!

METHODS for nurdle collecting

There are several methods that can be used to collect nurdles. Previously we’ve posted various ways-

1. Brush and broom is very effective for lines of nurdles along the beach that settle where the waves left them. Check Tracey’s entry here: http://journeytotheplasticocean.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/cleaning-up-the-pellets/

2. Sieves and colandars are also very effective. Here is a couple of methods from one of the volunteers Jeff which looks like it works well! Check out the videos he made on Sunday on You Tube. Awesome Jeff!! http://youtu.be/aHwC9JXGx9o      http://youtu.be/cMmoMR7StAQ

3. Nets are perfect for getting stuff both off the soft sand and also out of the water. Check out Kevin Laurie’s blog here on using nets from a boat http://hongkongcoastwatch.blogspot.hk/2012/08/plastic-nurdles-inshore-cleanup-kit.html He also developed the following method- walking in the water with a polystyrene container floating beside you to use as your collection bucket. See photos and note you can make your own net as one of our volunteers did with fabric netting and a coat hanger- fantastic!

 The important thing is to get  out and have a go- and if you can do it as a continual project even better! The more rubbish we get off the beaches and coastline the less gets into our ocean. Hong Kong’s fish stock has already decreased remarkably (due overfishing mostly) since the 1960′s and there has been several warnings that the entire ocean eco system in Hong Kong is on the verge of collapse. With the trawling boats (that do so much damage to the sea beds) to be abolished in the near future and a concerted effort by Hong Kong to keep our waterways and beaches clean we might once again be able to provide the healthy environment needed to replenish Hong Kong’s fish life! A no fishing zone in various areas would help that too!

And what can WE do to stop our oceans getting clogged up with garbage in the first place? Reduce our dependence on plastics and disposable items as a matter of urgency. If you can only use it once don’t buy it. Purchase items with the least amount of packaging- don’t buy bottled water- drink tap water – filter it if you prefer. There is literally hundreds of actions we can do to decrease our use of so much disposable items. They have really only been around since the 1970′s This disposable world we live in is a NEW thing- so we only need to go back to the old way of thinking. Tracey will be talking about this more with one of the prominent newspapers tomorrow so look out for an article about that shortly and perhaps take a look at what you use in your life that is of single use- can you find a different way that doesn’t involve using up resources and creating rubbish??

More to think about and once again THANK YOU!! There have been so many wonderful volunteers out and about- check out Tracey’s link on the Lamma Island cleanup on Sunday- how incredible! http://journeytotheplasticocean.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/talk-about-a-revolution/ I wish I could have seen that- (but some of us have to work on Sundays!)

Keep cleaning,

Kate