The Big Cleanup Favela kids take to the beaches
The kids of Rio’s favelas have more to worry about than the environment. But that didn’t stop ten young surfers from Rocinha, the largest slum in Brazil, from joining the effort to keep Rio’s beaches clean.
The Surfrider-led cleanup focused on Angra dos Reis, whose territory includes a cluster of 360 islands just two hours south of Rio de Janeiro. The project, sponsored by Frade Golf Resort, E-brigade and organised in partnership with PADI, aimed to clean up as much as was humanly possible and analyse the types of pollution and waste found in the area.
Cigarette butts, plastic bottles, condoms, plastic wraps and straws were the litter du jour on the beaches of Praia da Vila do Frade.
The underwater team diving near the Josefa Island found an abundance of construction materials, including paint cans and brushes, working boots, rakes, shovels and even wheelbarrows.
At Praia do Dentista on Gipoia Island volunteers found Styrofoam, fishing nets, ropes, plastic covers, plastic and glass bottles, beach chairs, cans and plastic wraps.
In all, more than one tonne of waste was collected. The region also suffers from a lack of appropriate sewage-treatment plants and the adverse effects of a nearby petroleum terminal.
As for the surf kids, they had a blast - and learned a bit more about a world that’s seriously under threat. Bocao, the community leader, said: “This kind of reward is priceless and is very stimulating for the kids. It makes them want to improve and gives them something to look up to.”
This story originally appeared in Huck #003.
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