With the help of members of the Mai Khao community, SDF staff and volunteers managed to fill over 35 large rubbish bags in a little under two hours. Including the organisation’s two previous beach clean-ups, SDF has removed a staggering five tonnes of rubbish from Mai Khao Beach.
The majority of items collected were plastic water bottles, cigarette lighters, single flip-flops, straws, bulbs, toys, food wrappers, fishing nets and other synthetic items. Sadly, the majority of this rubbish was in the formation of a tide line along the beach, indicating that it had been washed ashore from the ocean – a problem that is highlighted during low season as rougher seas churn out more of the rubbish within it. SDF’s efforts aim to prevent that rubbish being washed back into the sea.
Beach clean-ups form part of SDF’s Go Green initiative which aims to create an environmentally friendly culture within the organisation.
SDF has introduced various other steps to help the environment, such as providing free water in reusable cups to staff, visitors and volunteers in order to minimise the use of PET water bottles within the shelter; incorporating environmentally friendly products such as bamboo straws and stainless steel travel water flasks into their merchandise range; and ordering volunteer lunches in reusable clip-top containers.