This year the Saturday the 17th of September is the day a movement of people who love thrash free beaches and seas will begin. At 10am volunteers from all walks of life would converge at the Lagos Bar-Beach to carry out an exercise that would be simultaneously carried out in countries the world over.

This would be under the auspices of International Coastal Cleanup. The Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research NIOMR, as the host Institute would be supported by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Rotary Club Ikoyi, Nestle, Tastee Fried Chicken and a host of sponsors.

Thrash picked up would be counted, tallied, weighed and properly disposed of. Results would be analysed to determine the state of thrash on our Beach. Nigeria is breeding a new generation with a passion for saving the environment. The coming together this Saturday is an attestation to that.

In the last 25 years, Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup has become the world’s largest volunteer effort for ocean health. Nearly nine million volunteers from 152 countries and locations have cleaned 145 million pounds of trash from the shores of lakes, streams, rivers, and the ocean on just one day each year.

They have recorded every item found, giving us a clear picture of the manufactured items impacting the health of humans, wildlife, and economies.

All year long, organizations and individuals across the globe take part in Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup to remove trash and debris from the world’s beaches and waterways, identify the sources of that debris, and change the behaviours that allow it to reach the ocean in the first place.

During the amazing signature event each September, hundreds of thousands of volunteers from countries all over the world spend a day picking up everything from cigarette butts and food wrappers to lost fishing nets and major appliances. Because trash travels to the ocean by way of storm drains and waterways, they don’t just work along ocean beaches; these dedicated folks slog through

Working shoulder-to-shoulder, the volunteers in the Cleanup’s global network not only pick up trash; they record every item they find on standardized data cards.

Ocean Conservancy compiles and analyzes the data each year, and publishes the world’s only item-by-item, location-by-location snapshot of marine debris in an annual report. By understanding what is out there, we can work together on solutions.

Cleanups alone can’t solve the marine debris problem; we need to stop it at the source. Armed with knowledge about the most prevalent components of marine debris, elected officials can make informed policy decisions, and community leaders can more effectively tailor and expand recycling and other waste reduction programs.

Corporations can see the need for improved technology and reduced packaging, and individuals are inspired to properly dispose of trash to keep it out of the ocean. Renner Kofi Omare of the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research NIOMR is the International Coastal Cleanup Coordinator in Nigeria.

As an Institute with a mandate to protect our marine living resources, the Executive Director Dr Jide Ayinla and the management have provided a conducive atmosphere for research thus paving way for young and vibrant research officers, with a the zeal to change their environment in order to preserve it for the generation to come.

We believe with the support from NIOMR and cooperation from Government, Corporate bodies and the public we can achieve a healthy marine environment and cleaner beaches. As it is a non funded group, support in donations and kind is of significant importance.