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Off to Save Lembongan
Two girls from Bass Coast heading off to Nusa Lembongan, Bali to represent Australia in Asia’s first Swimrun.
Two girls from Bass Coast, Kara and Nina, are heading off to Nusa Lembongan, Bali to represent Australia in Asia’s first Swimrun, and help save a community drowning in plastic.
The pair will compete alongside athletes from around the globe in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the community of Lembongan. This previously pristine Island has been heavily impacted by massive tourism growth, and is now threatened with an environmental disaster.
The $86,000 fundraising target will go equally towards improving recycling infrastructure and systems, and educating the community and visitors on how to manage and reduce the plastic pollution.
The severity of the issue was highlighted when a sperm whale washed up recently on a nearby beach with 6kg of plastic waste in its stomach including flip-flops, 115 drinking cups, plastic bottles and bags, and much more.
Kara and Nina explained that while this problem is critical in Lembongan, pollution doesn’t recognize international boarders, and raising awareness is just as important in Bass Coast as it is in Bali.
"It is predicted that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050," Kara and Nina said.
"It has been great to use the Swimrun to help raise awareness in our own community. We’ve participated in clean ups, and held a few beach plogging (picking up rubbish) events, which have been really eye-opening."
"We always find rubbish when we are training down the beach. Sometimes, it’s just one or two things, and sometimes we can fill a whole green bag!"
Kara and Nina are $2,000 away from reaching their team goal of $7,750. To donate, head to: https://everydayhero.com.au/event/balihopeswimrun2018
Kara and Nina Plogging (Jogging and picking up rubbish) along Cape Patterson as training to prepare for the Bali Hope Swimrun.
Source: www.gippsland.com
Published by: support@gippsland.com
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