Los Angeles, Feb. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LOS ANGELES, FEBRUARY 24, 2020: 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.
Adnan 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."
Following 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 organizations 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.”
A 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.
The Dawoodi Bohra faith is renowned the world over for its community service. Turning the Tide is part of Project Rise - a global Dawoodi Bohra initiative working in partnership with government bodies and local organizations to help alleviate hunger, raise health and hygiene levels among children and families, and preserve and protect the environment. For more information, please visit www.TheDawoodiBohras.com.
About the Surfrider Foundation
The Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network. For more information, please visit www.surfrider.org.
Mr. Afroz Shah, United Nations Champion of the Earth
Mr. Afroz Shah is a lawyer and environmental activist from Mumbai. He is best known for organizing the world's largest beach clean-up project, which has grown into a movement that has inspired people around the world to clean up their surrounding environment. In 2016, Mr. Shah was named by the United Nations as a Champion of the Earth for leading the clean-up of Mumbai's Versova Beach. Inspired by Afroz Shah's effort to clean beaches in Mumbai, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched the global Clean Seas campaign. For more information, please visit www.twitter.com/afrozshah1.
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