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Fujisawa beach cleaning project marks 10th anniversary

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SEGO Initiative, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to environmental causes, will host its 10th anniversary Fujisawa beach cleaning project on Sept 22, at Katase Higashihama in Fujisawa City near Enoshima Yacht Harbor, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games venue. In case of rain, the cleanup will be held on Sept 29.

Over the past 10 years, more than 5,600 volunteers have participated in the biannual beach cleaning projects through SEGO Initiative, just before and after the area’s peak tourist season. Volunteers collect and survey beach debris to raise awareness of what’s being found and how it is making its way to the beaches.

As part of the anniversary cleanup, there will be an outdoor panel exhibition open to the public designed help to raise public awareness about the impact of human behavior on the environment. The exhibition will include works by environmental artists Benjamin Von Wong, Tess Felix Greene, and Sayaka Ganz. Prints by the artists will be auctioned off to raise funds for SEGO Initiative.

Alana Bonzi, co-director of SEGO Initiative, said, “Ten years and counting! We can't believe how time has flown by. This never could have happened without the support of volunteers and well-wishers. Cleaning beaches, oceans, and waterways is an Olympian task that sometimes feels impossible.”

“It’s then, when you suddenly look around and see lots of individuals working together, taking incremental steps toward a sustainable solution, that you feel like there can be a way to stem the tide. In every way, every day we are reminded how the sea connects us all. No matter what country you’re from—whether you live in the mountains or on the plains—we all have a part to play.”

Beach cleaning participants are drawn from registered schools and corporations, which join through their employee volunteer programs or corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. For corporations, the beach cleanups are an ideal opportunity to enhance their visibility, allow their employees to strengthen team spirit, and achieve CSR targets.

About SEGO Initiative

SEGO Initiative is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to environmental causes. The organization has grown to support three pillars: volunteerism, public education, and establishing a connection with the marine environment. Over the past 10 years, more than 5,600 volunteers have participated in SEGO Initiative beach cleanups, donating more than 11,280 hours and an estimated ¥9,472,500 in time and services. Volunteers have collected about 10,640 kg of marine debris. Through its Clean S.E.A. sailing experience, the SEGO Initiative gives newcomers to ocean sports the opportunity to learn how to sail, while also picking up debris from the ocean. SEGO Initiative has successfully completed the U.S. 501c3 Equivalency Determination process.

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Foreigners help clean Japanese pollution-wonderful!

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