From toilet bowls to used tampons and beer cans filled with piss: a lot of junk ends up in the water of West Friesland. Two initiatives are therefore organizing a cleaning trip next week – both suppend and by kayak – to remove this waste from our waters. Participation is free and so is the rental of the sups. The kayakers of ‘Clean Green Kayak Machine’ will guide the suppers.
Both initiatives have a strong connection with the water in West Friesland. The waste problem keeps them very busy. There’s junk everywhere. To make people and holidaymakers more aware of the problem and to encourage them to make different choices, they are organizing the ‘SUP against the Plastic Soup’ campaign. “The plastic soup starts at our doorstep. It blows into the ditch and ends up in the sea,” says Judith van Duijne, involved in the Schoon West-Friesland foundation and one of the initiators.
Major concerns
Judith is concerned about the floating waste in the West Frisian water. “Plastic breaks down into small particles, known as microplastics, and eventually ends up in the stomachs of animals. Many birds die a slow and painful death as a result,” notes Judith. She has been organizing clean-up campaigns in West Friesland for some time. “I have children and hopefully one day grandchildren. I would like them to be able to live normally.”
Judith does not believe that her grandchildren will see the dikes in Enkhuizen overflowing or breaching. “Nobody knows exactly what will happen, but it is clear that things are now going in the wrong direction.”
Result
According to Judith, a cleaner environment or nature starts with yourself. The group that often participates is getting bigger and younger by the day. “It is nice that the youth also realize that it is no longer possible like this.” Besides that you are useful with such a cleaning action, according to Judith it is also very pleasant. “You get to know new people who all have the same goal. And at the end we have a nice beer.”
Recently, an eight-year-old girl applied. “She wanted to clean up her neighborhood with friends. Sometimes a Bulgarian walks along who learns the Dutch language through social contact. That’s great, isn’t it?”
Besides the fact that it is fun, Judith also sees results. At the beginning of July, for example, she cleaned up 15,000 filters of cigarettes in Enkhuizen.
Sign Up
The tour takes place on Saturday 13 August in Stede broec and Sunday 14 August in Enkhuizen. People can still sign up for both tours, only money is full.