The discharge of plastic pellets that has affected the coast of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country has become a new environmental emergency. The call to citizen action has been immediate, and numerous organizations, groups of citizens, neighbors, and friends have taken to the beaches of the north to begin the activities of collection and cleaning.
In this post , we pick up the keys on the deployment of citizen activities carried out by NGOS, accounts information in social networksled by the citizenry with actions, tips for collecting and cleaning for you to disseminate, to collaborate and amplify the efforts to combat this emergency climate.
After the collapse of more than 26 tons of pellets in Portuguese waters, we have seen how came waves of plastic to the northern shores of Spain, causing an ecological disaster of severe consequences for marine ecosystems. To combat the massive pollution of the beaches affected and protect the environment from the coasts who are suffering after the spill, the population citizen, has been mobilised in their efforts to address this crisis before the indecision and delay of governments in responding effectively.
Different organizations, associations, groups of friends and neighbors, social media accounts, and more are organizing activities of cleaning, as well as to disseminate useful information about the situation in the worst affected areas in which you have to concentrate the efforts of collecting pellets and plastics that are bringing back the tides.
In addition to sharing updated information on the crisis on the coast, these entities and accounts share advice for proper clean-up and management: from utensils to the collection and recommended equipment to protect themselves from the toxic substances, where to deposit the collected plastic from the beaches for their disposal.
Find out how to help, knows first-hand the situation, the needs and risks that entails, what it means for the future sustainability of the ecosystem affected, and how it is mobilising the citizenry. Follow, share, and learn!
Association for the Defense Ecolóxica de Galiza (ASDEGA)
Focused in to promote and encourage the study and defense of the ecological balance of Galicia, ADEGA, working to ensure the right conditions for the comprehensive development of the population and the environment.
They are currently organizing a series of fundamental actions to give a coordinated response to this crisis: from cleanings training volunteer for the removal of pellets in the beaches, to recommendations for the voluntary people, or specific guidelines on what to do (and what not to do) before, during and after the cleaning. You can also keep close track of all these actions from your Instagram.
A voluntary group of Cantabria that spend part of their free time to fight against the garbage that litters the natural surroundings of the village of Castro Urdiales and its surroundings.
You can join his actions of environmental care, to know the awareness-raising materials on volunteering environmental through its website or follow them on Instagram where they post valuable information about the pollution of plastics and collection activities in a group. Join!
Perhaps you have found on social networks, videos, news content and news publications from the account of @noialimpa, an organization that, through various initiatives, such as the outputs of cleaning, contribute to a cleaner environment and healthier. Its mission is to reduce the environmental pollution and regenerate degraded spaces for the trash.
On their website you will find a space dedicated exclusively to collect updated information on the discharge of pellets on the galician coast. Here are collected daily data on the different beaches affected, calls for days of cleaning, and quantities of pellets earned.
Don’t miss out their Instagram, where they post daily essential information on the activities of collection, as guides to point you to search for pellets, the effects of this crisis to the local ecosystems, where to deposit the plastic and pellets correctly, informative videos about the situation, and much, much more content of value. ¡Follow @noialimpa here!
The Association of environmental professionals offers a meeting point and a defence of the interests of professionals in the environmental sector. Its main objective is the knowledge, disclosure, and the value of good environmental practices of companies, institutions or people. In its website you’ll find news, environmental, projects undertaken, volunteering, and related resources. You will find them in networks here.
The citizenship acts on the beaches and in the networks
In addition to the actions coordinated by the NGOS, which have been joined by citizens from different parts of the north of Spain that have been affected, are lxs own groups of friends, neighbors and young people who have been released both to the beaches as well as the networks to tell what is happening and to make their contribution for the environment. Accounts such as @remove garbage.atelier, @noialimpa on Instagram not only echoed the discharge of pellets but viralizaron this crisis on the shores of the north – as influencers as Xurxo Carreño (@xurxocarreno) or @Blondiemuser on TikTok, which bind to the past – to raise awareness about the problem and to mobilize young people and adults.
From the networks, accounts such as these show tips ranging from how to make a screen box for pick up pellets or how to look at the waves and tides to know how to identify plastic pellets, reminder to clean beaches affected, or raise awareness of the environmental risks that we face.
Spread your message, organize your own efforts and passes the Climate Action from our platform
Every contribution, action, idea, initiative and activity aimed at preserving the environment in such a crisis that we find ourselves in with the discharge of pellets or in the day-to-day, as small as it seems to us, is essential.
Aligned with this thinking, we create the platform ofClimate Action, which seeks to be a space for citizens and NGOS to share information, discuss and act on the climate crisis. This digital tool you have as a flag to encourage the creation of actions that are respectful and committed to the care of the environment.
From Hacesfalta.org and for Climate Action, will give voice to your initiatives, from our different channels. You just have to register as a new@ user@. From here, you can publish all those activities and events (actions, meetings, trainings, demonstrations, interventions…) you know you are going to take place in the coming days, weeks, or months, as well as inform you of all the actions that are sharing the rest of user@s.
In this way, the map of actions that we put at your disposal, will serve as both a point of reference to know everything that is being done at the level activism and mobilization for the climate change, while at the same time a repository for numerous initiatives that could be worth of inspiration and motivation to be recreated in other parts of the world.
We invite you to add, share, and take action for the climate!
Photography: Jorge Beak. EP.
