2012-03-13

Mahahual, Costa Maya Beach Clean with Sustenta; Conserving Chinchorro Banks and the Mesoamerican Coral Reef.

Limpia Mahahual 2012 (Clean Mahahual 2012) initiated in 2009 by Sustenta, a company based in Mexico City, dedicated to making people socially and environmentally responsible. 

Sustenta organized the Mexican Caribbean beach clean up event, which was held on Saturday 25^th February, with support from a variety of other companies, both local, national and international. The idea was to make people aware of the global contamination of plastic in the oceans, which washes ashore on the Mexican beaches and also to encourage the reduction of the use of plastics in general. 
 
The local community turned out in force (350 people compared to only 50 in 2009) with incredible results; 562 bags (1547.7kg) of PET was collected , 427 bags (1281 kg) of plastic and 555 bags )3607 of other rubbish.  All recyclable plastics were taken to a recycling plant in Chetumal. Prizes of non-motorised scooters, water drinking bottles, water filter machines and radios were given to the winning teams. 

Many tourists visit Majahual, Costa Maya, to go scuba diving or snorkeling at the famous Chinchorro Banks, a natural reserve 35kms from Mahahual.  That’s what happened in my case more than 8 years ago!  With the Mesoamerican coral reef, the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, running parallel with our Mexican Caribbean coastline, it’s vital that we protect it to ensure that future tourists arriving in Costa Maya can enjoy it.

Mahahual thanks Sustenta for it’s support and hopes to see an even bigger turnout for 2013.