The World Cleanup Day decrypted by COURBET
Created fifteen years ago by the association Let's Do It! World and widely supported by the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Cleanup Day mobilises the citizens of the world concerned about their future for a big day of collecting the vast amounts of waste that continue to pile up year after year.
COURBET supports The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization, and takes this opportunity to present an overview of plastic pollution in the oceans.
According to The Ocean Cleanup, humans produce 400 million tons of plastic each year, roughly equivalent to the mass of all the human beings on Earth. While only 0.5% of this production ends up in the oceans as waste, it amounts to about 2 million tons of plastic.
© The Ocean Cleanup
The Ocean Cleanup identifies numerous sources of pollution, including fishing, textile, and automotive industries, which contribute to the spread of microplastics in rivers and oceans.
The primary victims of this pollution are, of course, marine and coastal ecosystems, but it also has long-term repercussions on the oceans' ability to act as carbon sinks, on human health, and, in the long run, on local economies.
In addition to actively participating in ocean cleanup efforts, The Ocean Cleanup works to provide a comprehensive and sustainable solution by researching pollution sources and supporting the development of ambitious and effective public policies.
© The Ocean Cleanup
