Clean Up Shonai's Sea with SpoGOMI! A Coastal Cleanup Activity and Environmental Learning Tour
Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture
- Overview
We conducted a program designed to create time for deep reflection on environmental conservation and sustainability throughout the day. ① On the bus: An overview of the JTB Brighter Earth Project and information on marine issues in the Shonai Sea were provided. ② Morning: We carried out a SpoGOMI event at a Sakata beach, engaging in beautification activities along the coast. ③ Lunch: Participants enjoyed a meal primarily featuring seafood caught locally. ④ Afternoon: We created kaleidoscopes using marine debris collected during the SpoGOMI activity. Note: Due to participant requests, the activity was consolidated to focus solely on kaleidoscope creation. [Activity Locations] ① On the bus ② Sakata Beach ③④ SAKATANTO (Sakata Marine Center) - Partner organization
-Beautiful Yamagata and Mogami River Forum
-NPO Partnership Office
- Contact
JTB Yamagata Branch
Closed：Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays
Hours: 09:30 - 17:30
Comments from participants
-Making kaleidoscopes was a lot of fun! It became a memorable souvenir I could take home.
-It was a lot of fun. I'm glad I could participate in a program that allowed me to contribute to environmental issues in an enjoyable way.
-It was a valuable opportunity to visit Sakata, and I really enjoyed it. Thank you very much.
-Thank you for the valuable experience. Although I had only seen pictures, I was deeply impressed by how various organizations, university students, and individuals were diligently cleaning up the debris. I was also happy to be able to make a kaleidoscope after beachcombing. I participated with my grandchild, and I hope this experience will change their awareness of trash. Thank you very much.
-I want to challenge myself to not overthink SDGs, but instead to do what I can little by little and to learn more about them.
Comments from the partner organization
It was unfortunate that the number of participants was low this time. We plan to review the content for next year and beyond. We heard that the low turnout was due to the event coinciding with the first day of a three-day weekend and overlapping with various other events. Going forward, we aim to attract as many participants as possible by carefully considering the schedule (e.g., holding it on a Sunday or avoiding long weekends) and the location (e.g., considering areas near the Mogami River, not just the Sea of Japan coast, in relation to Yamagata City). We aim to convey the importance of awareness regarding waste issues and the significance of continuing efforts within one's capabilities, even if they seem small or not particularly difficult.
Comments from the staff member responsible
For this project, we initially focused on the issue of marine debris, but we also aimed to use this opportunity to create experiences where participants could personally experience and understand the reality of environmental problems, not limited to marine debris, but also in mountains and cities, through hands-on cleanup activities. Our hope was that through this project, we could convey to all participants that many environmental issues, often perceived as difficult, can be improved through small actions and ideas, with a focus on how to apply these learnings to the future. We intend to communicate and spread this "Smile Activity" to our staff members and all participating customers.
Scenes from the program
