(Photo credit: Samantha Thian)
Meet Samantha Thian, a young Singaporean who convinced strangers to come together to get rid of trash on East Coast shores. It all started with a hashtag: #EastCoastBeachPlan.
As an avid scuba diver, Sam developed a passion for marine conservation and a deep appreciation for the ocean. She used to work as a divemaster, educating people on the importance of good scuba diving habits to help protect coral reefs. Sam is a strong advocate of the environment and constantly seeks out community-based solutions to protect ocean biodiversity. She is no stranger to beach clean-ups and has been participating in them since she was a teenager.
The Unkempt Beach
“I noted there was a lot more trash washing up onto the beaches, as well as a lot of COVID-19 related waste such as masks, gloves, syringes and PE (polyethylene),” says Sam, recalling the post-circuit breaker period that Singapore imposed in early 2020 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The issue was exacerbated by the lack of manpower to clean the shore, which was caused by the lockdown in foreign worker dormitories.
(Photo credit: Samantha Thian)
Sowing the Seeds for a Movement
Dismayed by what she saw, Sam started clearing the beach herself—and soon realised that the job could be done much more efficiently with more people on board. In July, she created a Telegram chat to invite others to join her, as well as to provide daily updates. The chat group has since amassed more than 2,700 members.
Sam attributes the surge in the number of volunteers to the simple and hassle-free approach taken for the #EastCoastBeachPlan movement.
“I think making clean-ups easy by encouraging people to bring their own tongs and bags, as well as creating a community by providing all the resources digitally, reduced the barrier of entry to encourage people to join,” she notes.
Apart from easy access to resources and updates, volunteers also received clear instructions, which helped minimise any confusion that might have arisen. Sam acknowledges the help she received from others in the process as well.
“I had the support of Li Seng who is from Green Nudge, as well as from Qi Yun (@theweirdandwild) who really supported [me] in getting the right details and information together once we had started the Telegram chat,” says Sam. As a movement focused on the environment, the beach clean-up initiative aligned with social enterprise Green Nudge’s aim to achieve a zero waste outcome and Qi Yun’s involvement in climate activism.
“There was a bit of media coverage on the clean-up [as well], which is why people heard of the initiative and joined in,” she adds.
Unity is Strength
Equally important to the #EastCoastBeachPlan is the power of collective action, which lies at the heart of the movement. Seeing a community of caring people come together to pick up the trash brought hope to those who felt helpless upon seeing photos of the cluttered beach.
Indeed, the sense of conviction derived from this unity helped to fuel the initiative and ensure consistency. In the spirit of patriotism, volunteers even participated in the #5forSG55 campaign on the week of Singapore’s 55th National Day by gathering in groups of five to pick up five bags of trash from the beach.
“We always see people going to clean the beaches and it’s really heartening,” says Sam.
Photo credit: Samantha Thian
Looking Ahead: The Future of the Beach Clean-Up Movement
Looking ahead, Sam aims to raise awareness of the impact of plastic pollution on the marine environment, an issue that crops up frequently due to the annual monsoon. She hopes to do so by continuing to educate the public on the ocean and the process by which trash reaches our shores. As for the beach clean-up movement, she sees it as a community that cares continually for the environment and hopes that by keeping the process simple and accessible to the public, it would remain steady and consistent, especially since trash comes in seasonally.
When asked if she has any tips or advice for those who want to start their own initiative, Sam emphasised the power of a collective that stems from being able to sincerely identify with a cause. “Start organically and from the heart,” says Sam. “[W]hen people see the efforts that you put in and want to rally together with you, that is how a movement grows and [it] is the most meaningful part!”
Join the beach clean-up movement and be part of the #EastCoastBeachPlan here: https://t.me/eastcoastbeachplan
