On Sunday, July 10, 2016, we participated in AQUA SOCIAL FES!! 2016 held on Yotsukura Beach under clear skies that made the preceding spell of rain seem unreal. The participants took part in beach cleaning activities, survey of squeaking sand and radioactivity levels, and sand art making. We learned how wastes discarded in the sea, in particular plastic wastes, degrade to become micro plastics that prevent sand from squeaking and have an impact on the food chain when they are mistakenly eaten by animals.

On actually picking up wastes, we found a lot of PET bottles, empty cans, polystyrene fragments, plastic bags and other items that will degrade to become microplastics. We intend to actively take part in such events from now on to help prevent the precious ocean and sand beach environment of Iwaki from deteriorating any more.

* AQUA SOCIAL FES!! … An environmental protection and conservation event, having the AQUA hybrid car as a model, implemented by Toyota Motor Corporation in all 47 prefectures of Japan as part of that company’s social contribution activities.
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