Rise Above Plastics
Simple local actions help protect where we play. Our Rise Above Plastics (RAP) program advocates for a reduction in single use plastics and provides hands-on opportunities for the community to tackle the problem.
Take Action in Vancouver
We host one cleanup every month at one of Vancouvers’ local beaches. Beach cleanups are free to attend and open to everyone.
Visit our events calendar page on EventBrite for details on upcoming beach cleanups and other chapter events.
“It is estimated that land-based sources are responsible for up to 80% of marine debris. About 65 % of this, or essentially half of all found in the ocean, comes from consumer used plastics that have not been disposed of properly”
After plastics enter the ocean they slowly photodegrade into smaller pieces that mammals and fish can mistake for food, with sometimes fatal results.
Ocean currents concentrate plastic pollution into ‘gyres’ in five main areas of the world’s ocean. Besides the unsightly mess plastics make on even the most remote beaches, plastics are also dangerous to ecosystems and human health because of their ability to absorb and concentrate PCBs, DDT, and other toxins.