Preserving Nature, One Piece of Trash at a Time
Diving for a Cleaner Ocean
This week, our Spiritus team participated in an environmental volunteer activity near a local resort on Jeju Island. The plan was simple yet meaningful: to clean both the beach and the ocean below it. Jeju is famous for its turquoise waters and white sandy beaches, but we quickly saw that even this paradise faces pollution.
Before starting the underwater cleanup, we geared up with scuba suits, tanks, and collection nets. The moment we descended beneath the surface, a different world appeared. The sunlight danced across the seafloor, revealing both beauty and waste. Between rocks and corals, we found fishing lines tangled like webs, pieces of plastic drifting with the current, and metal cans lying half-buried in sand. Every diver worked carefully, ensuring that we didn’t disturb the marine life while removing the debris.
It was difficult work that required focus and teamwork. Sometimes we had to free plastic bags caught in seaweed or retrieve nets wrapped tightly around rocks. But with each item collected, the water seemed a little clearer, and our determination grew stronger.
Protecting Nature for Everyone
After surfacing, we continued cleaning along the shore with the rest of our team. We picked up bottles, snack wrappers, and cigarette butts that had washed up on the sand. Some tourists stopped to watch, and a few even joined in. It reminded us that environmental action can start with one person and quickly spread to others.
Local shop owners also came to thank us. They shared that a clean beach helps attract more visitors, which supports the local economy. Knowing that our effort contributed not only to the environment but also to the community made the experience even more meaningful.
Why It Matters
The trash we collected from both the sea and the shore might seem small in scale, but every piece removed from nature makes a difference. Plastic bottles break into microplastics that harm marine animals and eventually reach humans through the food chain. Abandoned fishing gear traps fish, turtles, and seabirds. Even one piece of trash can cause harm that lasts for years.
By diving below the surface, we witnessed firsthand how deeply human activity affects marine life. Cleaning the ocean was not just about removing waste; it was about restoring balance to an ecosystem that silently supports us all.
Reflection
This experience reminded me that caring for the environment is not always about grand gestures. Sometimes, it is about putting on scuba gear, swimming slowly through the waves, and picking up what others left behind.
Every dive, every handful of collected trash, and every moment spent working together brought us closer to understanding the ocean’s fragility. When we protect nature, we protect a part of ourselves.
As the sun began to set over Jeju, we looked back at the clean sand and calm water and felt proud. The effort was small, but the meaning was deep. Through steady action and shared purpose, we believe that even simple acts can help preserve the beauty of our planet for the generations to come.
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