Fleming College gives back to community and cleans up local park
Peterborough ON – (October 26, 2018) – Fleming College teamed up with World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF) to host the second annual Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up in Del Crary Park in downtown Peterborough on Saturday, October 13. Together, with over 50 volunteers including Fleming students, staff and members of the community, the initiative made the following impact:
- Cleaned up over 108 kg of trash, an increase of 194% from 2017
- Picked up 3,502 cigarette butts
- Picked up 376 pieces of small plastic
- Cleaned up 1.2 km of shoreline
The Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up is a national conservation program that provides Canadians the opportunity to take action in their communities wherever water meets land, one bit of trash at a time.
Since 1994, there have been over 21,300 clean ups that have collected more than 1.3 million kilograms of trash across Canada’s shorelines. The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup became a national conservation initiative in 2002 and cleanups started appearing in every province and territory. By 2003, more than 20,000 volunteers were taking part. Public support grew as Canadians became more aware of the harmful effects of shoreline litter on ecosystems, wildlife and people.
The Shoreline Cleanup is now recognized as one of the largest direct action conservation programs in Canada.
Pollution is a growing concern, especially when it collects in our local parks where it can directly affect wildlife populations. According to WWF – Canada’s Living Planet Report, pollution including plastic waste and micro plastics are one of six leading causes to wildlife decline.
About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Sciences, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 71,000 alumni.
About World Wildlife Fund Canada
WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. campus.wwf.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Sara O’Halloran
Communications Officer
sara.ohalloran@flemingcollege.ca
705.749.5530 x 1366
Emily Vandermeer
WWF-Canada
o: 416-489-4567 ext. 7298 | c: 519-616-1556
Rob Monico
Office of Sustainability
robert.monico@flemingcollege.ca
705-749-5530 x 1253