Members of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Los Angeles joined forces with the Surfrider Foundation and United Nations Champion of the Earth, Afroz Shah, to remove 462 lbs of plastic waste from Sunset Point beach on Saturday.
As part of the Bohra’s Turning the Tide initiative – a global drive to eliminate single-use plastic and rid bodies of water of plastic pollution – today’s beach clean-up brought Bohras of all ages together with local surfers and Mr Shah.
Dawoodi Bohra volunteers picking up plastic waste at Sunset Point Beach in Los AngelesAdnan Hamid, a member of LA’s Bohra community, said, ‘While we may come from very different walks of life, the Dawoodi Bohras and the LA surfing community share a passion for the need to enhance and protect our beautiful waterways and coastline. With the inspiration of UN Champion of the Earth, Afroz Shah, who is visiting from Mumbai, India, today we removed over 460 pounds of plastic trash from Sunset Point beach while – just as importantly – encouraging everyone to lead more sustainable lives, starting with the elimination of single-use plastic.’
Graham Hamilton of the LA chapter of the Surfrider Foundation commented, ‘I am excited that the Dawoodi Bohra community reached out. The majority of the plastic trash we removed today was weightless single-use consumer products. The real solution of the plastic pollution pandemic starts upstream with individuals making choices in their everyday life.’
UN Champion of the Earth, Afroz Shah, commented, ‘Beach cleaning is not only about clean beaches; it’s about changing mindsets and getting every household to adopt a circular economy where waste is eliminated and resources are re-used. The Dawoodi Bohras are eco-sensitive, full of wisdom and love for Mother Nature, and bringing about change at the ground level.’
UN Champion of Earth, Afroz Shah, picking up plastic waste at Sunset Point Beach in Los AngelesFollowing the beach clean-up, a dinner and discussion were held at the Dawoodi Bohra’s community center in Woodland Hills to honor Afroz Shah’s inspirational work encouraging communities all over the world to reduce garbage. Mr Shah – a GQ Man of the Year and CNN Hero in 2019 – has been partnering with the Dawoodi Bohras on a series of regular clean-ups of waterways and coastlines in Mumbai, India.
The Dawoodi Bohras have been stepping up efforts to clean coastlines and rivers in their communities around the world. Men, women, and children of the faith regularly volunteer in cities ranging from LA to San Francisco to Dubai to Nairobi and Mumbai to clean up waterways in their neighborhoods and encourage everyone to lead more sustainable lives, with the goal of eliminating the consumption of single-use plastic.
Mr. Hamid continued, ‘We are all responsible for plastic pollution. But by working together, with organisations like Surfrider and inspirational leaders like AFroz Shah, we can make a difference. Bohras all over the world – under the guidance and instruction of the head of our community, His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin – are joining hands to clear up our rivers and coastlines, and help everyone reconnect with nature.’
Dawoodi Bohras of Los Angeles join Surfrider Foundation and Afroz Shah for cleanup at Sunset Point Beach in Los AngelesA new video by the Bohras, Turning the Tide Against Plastic Pollution – The Dawoodi Bohras, explains more about the initiative and calls on everyone to harbor a greater sense of responsibility to the environment. The video can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXXdIQNOnlo&feature=youtu.be.
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