Samara Beach Clean Up: 30 November 2023

I will admit, shamefully, this is the first Samara Beach Clean-Up I have made it to since moving to Sámara in January. However, in my defense, I did not know about them. And now, I want to remedy that for others!

Every month, local Sámara Hostels and businesses partner up to organize this awesome initiative. Typically, they meet in front of Intercultura with all the bags and gloves necessary for the task ahead. It may not sound like it, but beach clean-ups are so much fun! You get to meet new like-minded people, chit-chatting along the way, while you soak in the sun and help the environment, all in one fell swoop. And if that wasn't rewarding enough, Tika Frutika is kind enough to provide refreshments back at their place following the clean-up. If you're lucky, Jessica will have prepared her refreshing tamarindo beverage with this amazing citrusy mint that grows right there in Mercadito Sámara, but anything she makes is delicious! ¡Que Rico!

During the couple hours of clean-up, the amount of mircoplastics seemed insurmountable. We were focusing on the riverbank in between Sámara and Cangrejal, and it was devastating. Once you start looking for mircoplastics, it will change the way you look at the beach forever. And when you go to pick up the sunbaked brittle plastics only shatter into more peices to be picked up.

How can we hope to solve this problem, short of sifting all of the sand on every beach?

We can do our part by using less plastics, bringing our own to go containers and beverage bottles, choosing sustainably packaged goods over ones sold in non-biodegradable single use packaging, and properly recycling what plastics we do use. Every effort makes a difference!

Thank you to everyone who joined November's beach clean up! And a BIG thank you to the sponsors and organizers of the event Casa Terra Pipa House Samara LA ALDEA Samara Hostel Las Mariposas Samara TIKA Frutika Fruits Salads & Protein Shakes Mercadito Sámara for providing such a great way to give back to the beach that gives so much to us. Follow us on Facebook or check our events section with full calendar for the next monthly Beach Clean-Up. We hope to see you there!