VIDEO: 54 Bags of Trash Removed from Kahului in Cleanup Campaign
By Wendy Osher
A total of 76 volunteers gathered to remove 54 bags of trash during the weekend kickoff to the annual “Get the Drift and Bag It!” marine debris cleanup campaign on Maui, hosted by Mālama Maui Nui and the Surfrider Foundation-Maui Chapter.
Volunteers picked up trash from a mile stretch of coastline along Kahului Beach Road, including the area surrounding the Kahului Boat Ramp during the coordinated effort on Saturday morning, Sept. 19, 2015.
***Photos credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
The statewide marine debris cleanup campaign, known locally as “Get the Drift and Bag It!” is part of the International Coastal Cleanup campaign. While the Maui kickoff event was scheduled to run on one particular day, community cleanup organizers can schedule their coastal and beach cleanups anytime from Sept. 19 through Oct. 17 to be included in the month-long campaign.
Saturday’s event included data collection on the type and quantity of litter found. The information will be used by organizers to develop better litter prevention strategies.
Event organizers say the most commonly found items at the weekend kickoff included cigarette butts, plastic pieces, food wrappers and fireworks.
Volunteers took a little extra time for an aerial human formation of a sail boat, the goal of which was to demonstrate that “We’re all in the same boat,” and ocean trash impacts all of us from the local to global scale, said Jen Cox of Mālama Maui Nui.
Individuals and groups interested in getting involved in the campaign can call Mālama Maui Nui at (808) 877-2524 or visit the Mālama Maui Nui website for more information.
Aerial image of the 2015 Get the Drift and Bag It! kickoff event at Kahului Harbor. Credit: Jason Hastain of Epick Air.com
Aerial image of the 2015 Get the Drift and Bag It! kickoff event at Kahului Harbor. Credit: Jason Hastain of Epick Air.com
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
“Get the Drift and Bag It! Maui Kickoff Sept 19. Photo credit: © Jason Hastain, Esteem Productions.
Sponsored Content
