CMIA Vila do Conde
To mark World Ocean Day, the Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation Center (CMIA) held a Cleanup Action on an estuary beach on the Ave River on June 8th. The initiative, which had the support of the Vila do Conde City Hall and CIIMAR (Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research), aimed to collect waste before the currents pushed it into the sea.
Under the motto “LESS PLASTIC and MORE SEA!”, about two dozen volunteers gathered at CMIA Vila do Conde. The final tally of just one hour of work revealed the urgency of this type of intervention. Thanks to the group’s commitment, a significant amount of waste was prevented from polluting the ocean. In total, the following were collected:
• 110 kg of common waste;
• 56 kg of plastic;
• 8 kg of glass;
The organization expressed its gratitude to all the volunteers who dedicated their morning to the environmental cause and extended a special thank you to student Inês Santos. CIIMAR intern Inês was the driving force behind this initiative, embodying the importance of linking scientific research to community action.
By cleaning the banks of the Ave River on World Ocean Day, Vila do Conde reminded everyone that protecting the seas begins well before the coastline—it begins in our rivers and our daily actions. Every bottle, cap, or piece of plastic removed from this estuary beach was a small but significant victory for our ocean.
