Oceanwide proudly participates in Cleanup for Sarah
Today we’re proud to join once more in AECO’s Cleanup for Sarah campaign, which invites participants to remove litter from nature in memory of environmental agent Sarah Auffret.
Cleanup for Sarah began in 2019 and takes place every year on June 16, Sarah’s birthday. Sarah led AECO’s Clean Seas program to remove plastic waste from the Arctic and reduce plastic use aboard Arctic cruise vessels.
Though our nature cleanups usually take place on the beaches of Spitsbergen, travel restrictions have obliged our staff to do cleanups closer to home the last two years – mostly near the OEX headquarters in the Netherlands, but also other places around the world.
“The positive reactions, enthusiasm of the staff, and result of the cleanup are very motivating,” said OEX marketing manager, Franklin Braeckman. “This shows once more that a small effort can make a big difference, not only by removing waste but also as an example to others.”
Removed waste includes bottles, cans, and plastics from commercial fishing vessels, but there are always a few surprises. “A beachball, water pistol, and some things less mentionable,” said Sietse Vonk, who coordinates ship operations for Oceanwide’s marine services department. “I’m sometimes staggered by what we find, but it’s fun to contribute.”
Oceanwide HR and staffing agent, Iris van Zalinge, agreed. “It’s satisfying being able to help clean the environment in this way. We get a lot out of the water and receive positive reactions from bystanders. I hope they’ll join us next time.”
If you want to join Cleanup for Sarah, you can register at the dedicated AECO page and even pin the location of your cleanup on an interactive map, which displays numerous other cleanups done to honor Sarah’s years of hard work protecting the environment.