#LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld - Cleaning the Beach After the Flood

[ErmesT]

Are you with us? It was a ping on my WhatsApp, on last Wednesday to change completely the direction of my weekend. On the message a link to a Facebook post. There wasn’t time enough to organize a meet-up, but of course we ( @AntonellaGr and I) said immediately yes.

After Connect Live '19, I have been very busy: I landed in Italy on Sunday, November 17. Mom surgery was on Wednesday, November 20, and the Wine Meet-up on the weekend, with 18 Local Guides from all over Europe.

The original program for today was to go to the beach, for taking 360° photos of a new fully accessible path, discovered one month ago: One year after the storm - Jesolo beach - Accessibility Surprise

But the events can change our life, and modify our programs. The storm and the flood that impacted Venice on November 12 (have you read The Flooding of Venice written by @NatalkaR ?) was devastating also for the beaches around the city, with a big impact on small businesses and on the beach itself, that do not exist anymore in several places.

In fact our destination was the same as already programmed, but the scope was completely different: Cleaning and documenting

We didn’t had anymore a path where to take 360° photos, as the path is very damaged.

As you can see in the photos, in some part the path has been literally ripped away by the storm.

A big part of the beach do not exist anymore, taken away by the sea together with the dunes behind the beach.

Here a couple of photos where you can see how it was, just a month ago, and how it is now. The map of the territory is changed

You can clearly see the difference. But there is another difference: One month ago the beach was very clean, while with the storm a lot of trash has been deposited on the sand, together with a lot of trees. Again, here the two views

What we found this morning was incredible: a beach completely covered of trees and waste, a lot of waste.

200 volunteers responded to the call of Giornate Ecologiche, the group of friends that are organizing the clean-up activities in the area. A huge amount of people that, in 4 hours, cleaned completely the beach from plastic and polluting materials.

Now the beach is clean, and we have already programmed another clean-up in January, as new storms are expected.

But the beach itself is severely damaged, and a lot a businesses have to be repaired

We are monitoring the situation. If you are on the area, stay tuned for more news in the next month, and let us know if you want to join us on the next clean-up.

If you are not from my area, feel free to organize your own clean-up on your place. For more information, you can check the links here below.

A special thanks to @DavidTito (here is the location, David) for updating the worldwide “Mymaps of plastic pollution”, and to @PaDeSSo for the great banner that you can see on the cover photo

[Jesi]

It’s too bad so many things were destroyed, @ErmesT . All the collages showing the before and after are very sad to look at. It’s comforting to know that so many people responded to the call to clean it, although even with the photos and everything I still can’t even imagine the amount of damage there had to be for so many people to volunteer for 4 hours to clean everything, I’m so sorry. Praises to everyone who helped, and extra props (and strength) to you for doing it on such a tough week.

I won’t be able to go to your area in the near future, but I can’t wait to join the first Clean The World meet up in Buenos Aires soon, we finally found a way as you already know! I hope we can make a real difference.

[Kwiksatik]

Thank you for sharing your experience @ErmesT . It is heartbreaking to see how the terrain is changing. I am so thankful we have people like you out there helping protect our beautiful world as much as we can. Thank you.

[AlexandreCampbell]

Congratulations @ErmesT . and @AntonellaGr . You guys have done a fantastic job. It is a example for every Local Guide. Congratulations also to the other volunteers.

[SayeedP]

It’s really great initiative brother, hope you’ll do your best for a clear world obviously. I’m just wowed!

@ErmesT also thanks for your amazing captures. It makes me happy.

Cheers!

[FoysalBD]

Really Very good job

[OSAMA1]

Hi @ErmesT that is so important and very practical. Congrats the job you did, and the Volunteers got the help. I also would like to say God bless your Mom after the Surgery .

Thanks for let us watch this

[FaridTDF]

Es increíble la gran labor que realizaron @ErmesT , en tan poco tiempo pudieron organizar e y limpiar el desastre que dejo la naturaleza, esa naturaleza impredecible he indómita, recuerdo todavía la limpieza de la playa del año pasado. Pero parace que la naturaleza no da respiro, y con el tiempo esto se incrementara por el cambio climático que está afectando a todas las costas del mundo. gran trabajo, de nuevo solo felicitaciones a ti a @AntonellaGr y al resto que realizaron semejante tarea.

Farid.

[GaganMishra]

@ErmesT Sorry for the loss of property and accessible pathways in your area. But how fast you guys get together and worked to make it clean again reaffirm that together anything can be achieved. I wish that people and the place will get back on their/it feet soon. Will Love to read a post when you make a 360 on this path again.

[Tanvir_Hasan]

Great work, @ErmesT . You guys have done it so greatly. Respect from #BDLG.

[Giuseppe75]

Thank you so much for your contribution @ErmesT and @AntonellaGr . These photos have a double face as show how nature can unfortunately change and on the other side show amazing people like you able to make our world better.

[KarolT]

Hi @ErmesT

I remember your recent post about cleaning this beach.

But nature is strong and sometimes dangerous.

It is nice to show people that we are all responsible for the state of our surroundings on earth.

Very good job Ermes and Antonella.

Regards from Slovakia.

Karol

[ErmesT]

I agree with you @Jesi . Indeed it is sad to see how the world is changing, but what is scaring me is that this is happening in small scales, so that most of the people think that this is simply a local event, not reflecting the big climate change that is going on.

Can’t wait to see your first #LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld Meet-up in Buenos Aires. Every event that everyone of us is starting is a step forward for increasing awareness. Awareness that is the best result we can obtain. Step by step, we can help to change the behavior of many. Writing, sharing photos and stories, showing how much easy can be to care about the environment, making the people thinking, is our target. You have the potential, you have the people to do that. I am sure all the Buenos Aires Local Guides will join you. Feel free to contact us if you need help.

I would love to have you coming, Jesica. I promise I will be your personal Local Guide in here. BTW, it was a pleasure to meet you in California for Connect Live.

A big hug

[LuigiZ]

Very sad @ErmesT to see those climate events becoming wider and wider and changing always more portions of this world, however kudos for the great initiative with #LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld, well done @AntonellaGr , and very well done to the complete huge team of 200 volunteers which dedicated their time for this great cause.

Thank you very much for sharing this beautiful community experience.

[ErmesT]

Thank you for reading @Kwiksatik , We need more people who, like you, wants to read this kind of stories. With need more people who, like you, think about what they read.

Not me, We.

We need the people to feel the discomfort of the small details that are becoming “global”. A piece of beach here, a piece Amazon forest, some Woods in California, and more. Fire, Water, Wind, are telling us that the energy of the planet is increased, and will be out of control soon.

Individually, we don’t have so much power, but together we can change the world.

We use the tools that we have. I am a story teller, looking for small details that, if combined, can tell us a Global story.

Thank you for responding @Kwiksatik , showing that you exactly got the point. Your reply show us that we are not alone. It is SO IMPORTANT, for the people on the field, to receive this kind of feedback.

Why ending with a flower? Because that flower’s photo has been taken, just a month ago, exactly in the same place, and because, at the end, we want to see the beauty. I want to see you smiling, my dear friend, because your smile can change the world

[Julien44]

Hi @ErmesT

Oh my God, that is so sad. It is hard to believe what we see.

Thanks a lot for your contribution and for sharing this story.

Keep it up !

Jul

[ErmesT]

@AlexandreCampbell , thank you for your words.

BTW, we didn’t do too much. We joined the initiative of a Local Group, Giornate Ecologiche (Ecological days). They were able, in a very short time, to call in action more than 200 people. This is the real message of hope, the fast reaction of the people who wants to be there, to help for cleaning the beach.

The feedback is what keep everyone of us in action, as we know that we are not alone

[ErmesT]

Thank you for the feedback, @SayeedP , that help me to better calibrate my communication.

My hope was to makes you sad, even if I can understand the happiness of a quick reaction, that is the beautiful side of being part of a community

Hope you will join us on #LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld

[Ivi_Ge]

Hello @ErmesT , first I would like to thank you for your effort and everything you are trying to do for one better world. Thank you for sharing this with us, let your mission spread everywhere like the air we breathe.

[ErmesT]

Thank you very much for your compliments @FoysalBD

Our best feedback is from the people who appreciate what we do and, hopefully, wants to emulate us.

Cleaning, for the other people to see, is something very powerful, and we usually have a lot of people who join us just because they see us at work.

Hope it will be the same for you: join us on #LocalGuidesCleanTheWorld