The 4th annual International Clean up the Baltic 2010 event has been scheduled for 9 September in Poland, just when the tourist season nears its end.
Organised by Our Earth Foundation (Fundacja Nasza Ziemia), the previous three events have been met with tremendous success, and efforts to continue raising awareness and attention regarding pollution of the Baltic Sea waters are strongly encouraged within the Baltic States, including Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. Local governments, NGOs and other organizations having anything to do with the Baltic Sea or fish are invited to create their own, local action plans for the event under one International Clean up the Baltic banner.
The International Clean up the Baltic is an educational and informative campaign aimed at all the inhabitants of the Baltic countries, including the inhabitants of inland regions. The input of each and every person has a meaningful impact on the condition of the sea, since each time we turn on the tap we are linked to the Baltic Sea. Fittingly, Our Earth Foundation’s slogan for this year’s event is: “Our Sea is to be as clean as the smallest river or stream in every country facing the Baltic.”
The issue of the Baltic Sea pollution, apart from the littered beaches, is a serious matter having to do with excessive nutrient build-up in the water, often not visible to the naked eye. The nutrients (mostly nitrogen and phosphorus) make the sea over fertilized, or “eutrophicated”. This phenomenon results in an unbalanced ecosystem which is characterized by a drastically quickened growth of micro-organisms, which through their growth deplete available oxygen in the sea. The lack of oxygen eventually leads to death of sea life.
Currently, around 100,000 square kilometres of the Baltic Sea are already affected by advanced eutrophication, mainly due to inputs from agricultural and industrial processes, including shipping activity, which results in algal blooms, oxygen depletion, dead sea-beds and poor reproduction in many fish stocks. The Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) to improve the environmental status of the Baltic Sea was adopted in 2007 at a HELCOM ministerial meeting in Krakow, Poland, but despite progress in some areas, the plan is judged by many to be a failure.
In Poland, some of the sources of nutrients in the sea originate from household processes, which include the over-usage of detergents, washing powders, but also agricultural fertilizers. This is dangerous for the Baltic Sea ecosystems since the run-off from these products ends up in the Baltic Sea causing eutrophication and thus, the death of sea life.
One of the focal points during International Clean up the Baltic 2010 will thus point to a simple message, don’t overuse detergents, washing powders or agricultural fertilizers, and follow the producers’ instruction on the boxes of these products, with the aim to empower each individual to make a change locally and thus contribute to the sustainability of healthy ecosystems in the Baltic Sea.
All the Baltic States are encouraged to organize an event to contribute to the protection efforts of the Baltic Sea. Please pass on this invitation to all your friends and associates, and be a part of this event!
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For information on how to organize this event, or to inquire about materials (i.e.: posters) available to announce this event in your country, please contact Our Earth Foundation directly at fundacja@naszaziemia.pl or call +48 22 6228118.
If you already have plans for International Clean up the Baltic 2010 and would like to share your action plan or you would like to provide post-event feedback, please contact Our Earth Foundation.