United Way Mumbai and Coca-Cola India join hands to organize Beach Clean-up Drives under ‘Clean Shores Mumbai’ Initiative

Mumbai : United Way Mumbai, along with Coca-Cola India, has launched ‘Clean Shores Mumbai’, a coastal clean-up and marine conservation drive atDadar Chowpaty, Dadar Beach and Mahim Chowpaty beaches in Mumbai. The event witnessed participation from environmentally-conscious volunteers from all walks of life including corporate employees, partners, local citizens and students. Local groups such as ‘Beach Please,’ ‘Jay Foundation’ and ‘Mahim Beach Clean-up’ have also been actively working at each of these sites to promote cleanliness. The drive was organized in collaboration with Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai’s G/North ward.

Mrs. Jayanti Shukla, Chief Executive Officer, United Way Mumbai said, “The enormous problem of marine debris not only affects Mumbai but coastal cities across the globe. We are playing our part by facilitating solutions to address marine littering problems at Mumbai beaches through our tried and tested Collective Community Impact model. No one organization or individual can do enough – collaborative, systematic and sincere efforts will yield the desired results of keeping our marine environment clean and preserve marine life.”

Mr. Ishteyaque Amjad, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia added, “Mr. Ishteyaque Amjad, Vice-President, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia added, “The Coca-Cola Company has pledged to collect and recycle the equivalent of 100% of its packaging by 2030. We believe that this goal can be achieved through partnerships and participation. By adopting a collaborative approach between citizens, governments, businesses and civil society, we can eliminate marine litter. We are optimistic that our partnership with United Way Mumbai will reap long-term benefits in educating communities and encouraging sustainable waste management.”

Volunteers engaged in collection and segregation of dry and wet waste on the beaches, interacted with and sensitized the beach goers on importance of marine conservation. The volunteers also distributed cloth bags to the beach-goers and appealed to them to avoid using one time use plastic bags.

‘Clean Shores Mumbai’ is a community impact initiative to enhance overall cleanliness of the city beaches and contribute towards reduction of marine pollution through sustained interventions enabled by multi-stakeholder partnerships. By supporting this program, United Way Mumbai and Coca-Cola India are showcasing their long-term commitment towards waste management by setting up infrastructure for cleanliness, raising consumer awareness, and supporting adoption of efficient waste management practices.

Last month, Coca-Cola India and the community impact partner, United Way Mumbai, had joined the citizen beach clean-up movement at Versova beach led by marine conservationist, Afroz Shah, and announced the symbolic adoption of four high footfall beaches in Mumbai. The interventions will include:

• Regular cleaningof the garbage on the beaches and deep sea
• Sprucing up the aestheticsof the beaches so locals and tourists are encouraged to maintain and support the cleanliness of the beaches
• Adopting responsible waste management practices such as segregation and recycling of the recyclable waste collected on the beach
• Formation of Clean Beach Task Forcesto ensure ownership among the neighbouring communities