A beach party can’t begin until there’s been a beach clean up in the eyes of those at Vancouver FC and their supporters group the Fraser Valley Fanatics. So that is exactly what the Eagles did on Monday, July 15, was head out to the banks of the Fraser River in Fort Langley, BC and started picking up trash.
A group of over 20 participants composed of VFC players Rocco Romeo, Ben Fisk, Renan Garcia, Gabriel Bitar, Moses Dyer, VFC staff members, and VFC Season Members all worked together to collect approximately a dozen bags worth of litter from around the community. The excursion was also assisted by Ocean Wise, a global conservation organization on a mission to build communities that take meaningful action to protect and restore our ocean, who helped to advise Vancouver FC on safe practices and suggested areas for the shoreline cleanup.
As simple as picking trash off the shores of the Fraser River may seem, the impact of improperly disposed human items goes far beyond the immediate perception. One significant issue are microplastics which are, as the name suggests, microscopic pieces of plastic that infiltrate every part of the ocean and can eventually work their way back up the food chain to humans.
Microplastics themselves can be ingested by ocean creatures and cause harm but larger pieces of trash can also be harmful to wildlife as well. Some of the most recognizable instances of these large pieces impacting wildlife include the plastic rings that are used to hold cans together that end up around the necks of everything from fish to birds. Or fish getting trapped in plastic bags and swimming in a bubble. Or even larger ocean mammals being entangled in ropes or twine that have been left in the ocean.
The common denominator in all of these instances are the human uses and improper disposal of products which is, thankfully, in each of our control to make a change. Although VFC’s upcoming game on July 20th centers around beaches/water protection, the match builds off of Vancouver’s Eagle Conservation night on June 23rd with the broader scope of respecting our surrounding communities and everything in them.
Saturday’s game will be a celebration of the beautiful province of B.C. that we are all fortunate enough to call home. However, it will also serve as a space to reflect on our impact on nature and how we can all help to keep our communities safe for all.
If you would like more information on Ocean Wise, including organizing your own shoreline clean up, please visit their website here. For tickets to Vancouver FC’s Beach Party on Saturday, July 20 at 3 p.m. against York United FC, please visit our website here or purchase them in person at the gates on game day.
