LIFE BELOW WATER

Restoring marine biodiversity while simultaneously cleaning tourist landmarks like beaches. A total of 2,09,33,460 marine lives have been saved till March 2024.

71% of our planet is water-covered, and the oceans hold 96.5% of all Earth’s water. The world’s ocean drives global systems that make the planet habitable for humankind. Over 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal diversity for their livelihoods. Humans are contaminating the planet’s seashores and ocean floors and endangering the rich biodiversity of our oceans. However, in today's scenario, these resources are being over-exploited causing damage to the ecosystem.

The increased concerns around climate change and its effects are troublesome. Marine pollution is reaching alarming levels most of which is plastic dumped by humans. This, in turn, has caused a counterbalance in our oceans.

Having realized these issues, CHF began Beach Clean-Up programs to restore marine and coastal biodiversity. An imbalance in the two, can not only harm the flora and the fauna but also the human lives in the surroundings. Microplastics present in water and seafood consumed by human beings can lead to multiple organ problems and developmental delays. It is we who are to be blamed for causing upheaval in nature with increasing pollution and population levels.

Beaches that are popular as tourist sights are dirty and the seawater is polluted. Thus, beach clean-ups are important to curb this growing menace of plastic and other waste materials from entering our oceans. Some of the many advantages of Beach Clean-Ups could be increased tourism and a recovery in the imbalance caused in nature. The mangroves surrounding these beaches are important to maintain an ecological balance.

There is a great concern about Marine Pollution, the majority of pollution comes from land-based sources with an average of 13,000 pieces of plastic litter found in every square kilometer of ocean. The SDGs aim to sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution as well as address the impacts of ocean acidification.

Child Help Foundation has partnered with For Future India Official, for cleaning beaches in Mumbai, including Arnala Beach, Danapani Beach, Gorai Beach, Juhu Beach, Khardanda Beach with 779 volunteers. We collected and removed 1,85,960 kgs of debris and plastic materials.

Our main goal is to spread awareness about the depleting quality of the beaches and seawater. It is important for people to know and understand how beach clean-up activities can make a significant difference, in improving human and aquatic lives as well.

We also aim to increase mangrove plantations and make the beaches of Mumbai waste-free.

Beaches are more than just aesthetically pleasing tourist attractions. They support multiple biological communities. Every single breath we take comes from the oceans, and thus, it is important for us to not only be aware of saving them, but also implementing this knowledge by taking responsible actions.