The SGV & Co. – Ernst & Young, an Auditing firm, recently participated in the 26th year ofinternational coastal clean-up day last September 17, 2011 at the coastal beach of Lizada Village, Brgy. Vicente Hizon Sr., Buhangin District, Davao  City.

The Punong barangay Ralph O. Abella earlier, briefed the group headed by Mr. Alvin Pinpin (Partner) and Mr. Raoul Balisalisa (Senior Director) before the activity began.

Around 40 professionals from the firm, all certified accountants, participated during  the clean-up activity and were joined by some registered nurses who are residents of Fortune Executive Homes, this barangay. Present also were some officials from the barangay namely; Kagawad Eufracio C. Uy, the Committee Chairman on Environment, Brgy. Secretary Redentor Nartates, Purok 2 Leader Jocelyn L. Caga-anan and Lizada Village Asso. President and BFARMC Chairman Peter S. Manayon.

The group retrieved from the shoreline some 10 sacks of assorted plastic materials and when not collected, will surely be washed away to the deep blue sea during high tide.

It all began with one woman walking along the beach of South Padre Island, Texas. Appalled at the amount of trash she saw, Linda Maraniss immediately felt compelled to do something about it. 

As a former employee of Ocean Conservancy (then known as the Center for Environmental Education), she knew something about solutions. Teaming up with like-minded people, she organized a beach cleanup.

In a mere two hours, 2,800 Texans picked up 124 tons of trash along 122 miles of coastline. Since 1986, that effort has rippled out across the globe, and over a quarter century has grown into a much-loved and much valued experience that nearly half-a-million people look forward to each fall—with more joining each year.

Ocean trash is one of the most widespread problems threatening our ocean and waterways. Trash in the water can impact human health: sharp items can cut beachgoers, batteries, car parts, and 55-gallon chemical drums may leak toxic compounds.

Trash threatens wildlife as well. Even the mightiest whale can drown when entangled in old rope or fishing nets, and many fish, birds, and animals eat trash they mistake for food. The result? Choking, as well as slow starvation from a false sense of satiation.

Ocean trash chokes coastal economies as well, deterring tourist visits and causing enormous cleanup bills. Our vision is of Trash Free Seas – from product design to disposal, we all have a role to play in keeping our ocean clean free of trash.

The annual International Coastal Cleanup last September marked 25 years of volunteers making our ocean and waterways cleaner, and collecting data that provide the only global snapshot of this problem.

If you can think of it, volunteers have found it on shorelines and waterways – from cigarette butts and plastic bags, to waste from industry and abandoned fishing gear.

This year we are offering 25 years of global snapshots of trash in the ocean to illustrate the problem and show people working together to find solutions. Sec Red