FijiSurfco embarks on ten-island clean up
COVID-19 pandemic gave an opportunity for resort owners to look at the drastic impacts of tourism activities on the environment.
This was highlighted by FijiSurfco owner and chief operator, Ian Ravouvou Muller.
Mr Muller organised a cleaning up campaign project in the Yasawa Group.
The project is a partnership between FijiSurfco, Department of Environment and an international clean up organisation, Parley. Mr Muller who is heading the team said the mission was to clean up ten islands.
“We did five islands in the Mamanuca’s last year and another five in the Yasawa Group a few weeks ago,” he said.
“We did Tavewa, Matacaulevu, Navono, Nacula, and Yanuya and we cleaned it up in about four days and we thought it would be a bit more but due to the inactivity of tourism, there seems to be a bit less.”
He said companies manufacturing
products that made most items dumped on beaches needed to also find environmentally safe ways
to dispose of their products that were used by the general public. “When you see a clean environment it just exemplifies the beauty of what God created in our environment and appreciate it more.
We took our kids along and they helped clean up and it’s important to start with the kids and we need to be good ambassadors,” he said. “We don’t want to inherit a rubbish country and they don’t and if we set the tone in the example, hopefully there will be a trickling down effect from generation to generation.”
Rubbish collected included plastic bottles, aluminum cans, Tyres, Styrofoam containers and diapers.
“The environment is our primary objective to keep pristine, tourism won’t survive if we destroy our environment. We need to try and invite that kind of tourism mindset to those that really appreciate our environment,” he said. Mr Muller thanked those who assisted with the project.
“A big vinaka to all who made these 10 islands clean up and conservation mission possible, Parley, Department of Environment, Amani and Solevu Village Turagani-koro, Tui Drola and Ratu Joe, Tavewa family and the hard-working team at FijiSurfco,”he said.