It’s no secret by now that here at J-Tech, we’re obsessed with the health of our planet. We provide renewable energy for families and businesses through utilizing solar power, and are excited to see how other companies and individuals are making efforts to improve the health of our planet. This week we’re turning our appreciation to the volunteers at Versova beach, and how their efforts have wielded huge results. What if we told you that turtles hatching in India is a historic moment for not only the South Asian country, but for the world?
The history of Versova
In the past, Versova beach was used as a method of scaring people into recycling. Images of extreme trash flowing with the waves left an unmistakable impression, and terrified tourists and locals. The water vanished within the garbage left behind. In October 2015, a young lawyer from Mumbai named Afroz Shah decided it was time for someone to make a change. Along with his 84-year-old neighbor, Harbansh Mother, Shah took it upon himself to start picking up the garbage. As more people continued to join, the movement began to gain attention from the media and other locals who were willing to take action.
How the litter was removed
Shah found himself with multiplying volunteers, and he needed to find a way to efficiently remove the overwhelming trash and coordinate the hundreds of individuals. Bollywood stars donated equipment for the volunteers to use, and they gathered every sunday. Despite some of the equipment donated, most volunteers resorted to hand sorting the trash into which trash was recyclable and which garbage needed to go to the landfill.
How long did the de-littering take?
While Mumbai still struggles to maintain a clean Versova beach, the massive de-littering project took roughly 3 years (that’s over 156 visits to the beach for cleaning.) Over that time, the volunteers removed 5,000 tons of litter (that’s about 769 African elephants) that at some points at the beach was up to 5ft high. Essentially, this was no easy task, and the volunteers worked as a unified army against the pollution in order to achieve their goal as efficiently as possible. This shows that when people come together, amazing results are more than possible.
Tell me about the Turtles
Volunteers were feeling excited about their amazing de-littering project, yet still weren’t exactly sure of when they were able to call the project complete. A defining moment in the entire cleanup project was the hatching of baby sea turtles. Turtles haven’t been spotted on the beach for over 20 years, and locals were sure that the litter had completely diverted all wildlife from residing or visiting on the beach. Witnesses say that over 80 baby olive ridley sea turtles hatched and were assisted on their journey to the water. While the cleanup project won’t stop until the beach is completely garbage free, this was an encouraging sign to volunteers that their work is not only helping the people who live near or visit Versova, but the marinelife as well.
We wonder what other parts of the world are suffering due to extreme pollution, and which natural species might return once the locations are cleaned. If you’ve participated in any massive de-littering projects, let us know about your experience in the comment section below! If you haven’t made efforts for the sake of the planet, there’s no time like the present to begin. By incorporating solar power in to your home or business you can make a huge impact on the planet with minimal effort or thought. Call us today to get started on your solar journey!
