"Allbeaches": Environmental activities that connect with the world, something only possible in Japan.
Hello, I'm Fumika Mabuchi.
This might come as a surprise, but are you familiar with "Allbeaches"?
This community, which addresses the marine plastic pollution problem, started last year.
While there are many organizations and events that engage in beach cleanups, what sets All Beaches apart is that they form teams for each beach and not only clean the beaches, but also hold study sessions where members can learn about global environmental issues in a fun way, fostering interaction among members and having members take the lead in their activities.
I learned about this community through Kana Sato, the CEO of Bake a Cake, the company that runs it.
I met Kana in 2020 when I participated in a social media project for "sunny U," a towel brand that Kana produces.
Kana used to work for a toy manufacturer, but one day she saw a photo of an albatross that had died after eating a toy made by that company. She began to think that although she was working "for the dreams of children," in reality she was taking away nature from children's futures. This prompted her to start participating in beach cleanups and picking up trash when she went to the beach.
The first All Beaches team was formed in Yuigahama in May 2021, and was supposed to be active on a monthly basis... but due to the state of emergency and priority measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, they were unable to gather and practice for several months after their formation.
During that time, the members apparently each did beach cleanups whenever they stopped by the sea.
Then, in November, when the COVID-19 situation had calmed down a bit, we resumed our activities and decided to hold an upcycling workshop!
I'm embarrassed to admit that I wasn't familiar with the term "upcycling," but
It's about "transforming waste materials that would otherwise be thrown away into new products and giving them a new life."
When I asked about their main activities, they said that they start by doing a beach cleanup for an hour every morning.
Afterward, we moved to Webase Kamakura, which is right near Yuigahama Beach, where we made accessories using the marine plastic waste and seashells we had collected, and the children created art by combining them with paintings on small canvases.
The colorful plastic waste collected during the beach cleanup was transformed into Christmas tree decorations.
And finally, we had a study session with a guest.
This particular workshop was for members only, but they hope to make it an event that a wider range of people can participate in, depending on the situation.
All Beaches' current activity is on the first Saturday of every month.
Normally, they all participate in beach cleanups, and then they do yoga or hold study sessions on the beach, which has been restored to its original beauty.
The activities are primarily team-based, but participation is possible if you're interested.
If you're interested in information about our irregularly held workshops or other events, please contact us via social media.
After learning about "Allbeaches," an organization that helps people learn about the global environment in a fun way, I started thinking about what I could do and began picking up litter when I take walks with my son.
Why not try to find "something" you can do close to home?
"Allbeaches"
note
https://note.com/allbeaches
