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NEWS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release Sept. 18, 2012 |
Ministry of Environment
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Kamloops participating in Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup
KAMLOOPS – Keeping the shoreline in Kamloops clean year-round is vitally important to the protection of aquatic life and ecosystems, which is why Minister of Environment and Kamloops-North Thompson MLA, Terry Lake, will be participating in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. The cleanup aims to remove litter and debris from local beaches and lakes as well as in provincial parks and protected areas.
Minister Lake will be joining volunteers on Wednesday morning, along the beach on McArthur Island, to pick up litter and debris that has washed up on the shore. This event is hosted by Home Depot. It is just one of 616 registered shoreline cleanups happening throughout the province, and one of several cleanups taking place in Kamloops as part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which is holding events in communities across Canada from Sept. 15-23, 2012.
Cleanup events have occurred in sites along the Thompson River, such as Overlander Park, and will continue past this week and to the end of the month with a cleanup on Sept. 29th at Pioneer and Riverside parks.
In May 2012, BC Parks and the Vancouver Aquarium entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining a joint agreement to achieve outcomes that would improve the health of B.C.’s aquatic ecosystems and get more British Columbians involved in this goal. This includes identifying priority cleanup sites and cross-promotion of events like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium and the World Wildlife Fund. The first cleanups began in 1994 along the shoreline of Stanley Park in Vancouver, and it became a national program in 2002.
The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is also a valued partner in B.C.’s planning process for cleaning up any tsunami debris that washes up along the coastline. The Tsunami Debris Coordinating Committee is working closely with local governments, First Nations and volunteer organizations such as the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup to keep our beaches clean.
Quotes:
Terry Lake, Minister of Environment -
“When it comes to doing our part and protecting the environment, I know that the spirit of volunteerism in Kamloops, combined with having strong partners like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, will help us meet our common goals. Whether it is cleaning up the beaches on McArthur Island, Overlander Park or anywhere along the Thompson River, events like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup are a great opportunity for Kamloops residents to get involved in a great cause.”
Jill Dwyer, Manager, Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup -
“It is still not too late for volunteers to register for the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, which is taking place across the province through Sept. 23. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a great opportunity for Canadians to make a difference in their local communities by removing harmful shoreline litter that can negatively impact the people and wildlife that depend on healthy waters.”
Quick Facts:
· In 2011, 26,194 British Columbians registered to be part of the cleanup – the highest participant rate across Canada.
· In 2011, British Columbians cleared 1,128 kilometres of shoreline and removed 66,127 kilograms of litter.
· In 2011, the cleanup removed 401,330 items from B.C. shores - the most common being cigarettes and food wrappers/containers.
· Across Canada, in 2011, participants removed 143,737 kg of litter from 3,144 km of shoreline.
· The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup has become Canada’s largest contributor to the International Coastal Cleanup, a global effort to remove harmful litter and aquatic debris from shorelines.
Learn More:
BC Newsroom - Ministry of Environment:
http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/ministries/environment-1
Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup: http://www.shorelinecleanup.ca
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Contact:
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Stuart Bertrand Communications Ministry of Environment 250 387-9630
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Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect
