Noosa local Lilliana Bowrey has joined legendary big wave surfer Shane Dorian and son Jackson Dorian among a group of youth ambassadors from Australia, New Zealand and Japan to clean up a remote beach on the Island of Hawaii for International Coastal Clean-up Day.
The 30th annual International Coastal Clean-up Day on 21 September was a timely reminder of what everyone can do to make an impact.
As the Pacific Ocean connects Hawaii with Australia, New Zealand and Japan, the youth saw first-hand exactly the effects of plastics and microplastics in the ocean.
The clean-up was arranged by not-for-profit organisation Sea Cleaners, along with Billabong Australia who selected the Australian youth ambassadors, each being an up-and-coming surfer with a strong emotional connection to the ocean.
Captain Hayden Smith, Sea Cleaners Founding Trustee said the youth ambassador program was inspirational as a new breed of leaders develop.
“As we have been developing the Youth Ambassador program with Hawaii Tourism Authority, it has highlighted how inspirational it is for the youth that join us,” Captain Smith said.
“We have seen a new breed of leaders developed, to help us carry the torch on this important work. By involving students from New Zealand, Australia and Japan, it provides a platform with a global outreach and a chance to inspire a wider group of future youth leaders, to help us share our knowledge of the issue with their own communities once they return home.”
Big wave surfer, Shane Dorian and his son Jackson will also take part in the initiative, cementing the importance of passing this responsibility onto the next generation.
“I feel like it is our responsibility to help leave the beaches cleaner than we found them,” Mr Dorian said.
“We need to take care of Hawaii’s beaches for those who are here after us, hopefully hundreds of years from now.
“I think if we help set an example, future generations will be much more aware of how fragile our environment actually is. If enough of us care for our planet we can ensure that its in better shape going forward.”
The project will be filmed and produced into a short documentary by National Geographic, set to be released this month.
In addition to the beach clean-ups, the students will also visit local schools to discuss sustainability and ocean health, as well as taking part in other activities with the local community.
