Saturday 19 September marks International Coastal Cleanup Day, a day where communities around the world come together to clean up their local coastlines.
Over the years our colleagues across the company have been shining examples of environmental stewards and even in these COVID-19 times, our commitment to the environment is more important than ever. It’s fitting, then, that this year’s theme is ‘Fighting for Trash-Free Seas’, during times when the environment and our local coastlines in the UK have been in the spotlight. Whether that’s people holidaying at home by the coast or the ship-spotting tours off the south coast.
Despite changes in how we live, work, and interact with one another, one thing has not, and will not change – our commitment to environmental protection. I’m proud of the work we’ve all done over the past 18 months in reducing our use of single-use plastics and helping to keep the communities we touch and beyond as clean as possible. As we look forward to welcoming Guests back in the future, I’m committed to continue to build on our environmental awareness and instill a strong culture of environmental care under our Operation Oceans Alive initiative.
Simon Palethrope, President, Carnival UK
Although we may not be welcoming Guests on board just yet, we’re doing a lot to keep our coastlines as clean as possible. P&O Cruises, and parent company Carnival Corporation & plc, are leaders in implementing alternative fuels such as LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) and emission reduction technology, including the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS). Later this year we will welcome Iona into the fleet as the most environmentally efficient ship in P&O Cruises history. It will use LNG to generate its primary source of power, reducing exhaust emissions which supports the company’s sustainability goals.
The oceans and the coastlines we visit are our business and the preservation of them for future generations is an absolute priority for our company. We are all responsible for protecting our oceans, not just for us but for generations to come. It’s so important to speak up and report anything that could affect our environment.
Why not gather some of your colleagues (up to six) to take part in an organised beach clean, especially while the weather holds up. The Marine Stewardship Council is running the Great British Beach Clean from 18 – 25 September. Take a look here.
Tips for beach clean:
- Stick to the ‘rule of six’
- Use PPE to keen you and other around you safe, including gloves
- Always dispose of the waste sensibly
- Don’t disturb the wildlife or natural infrastructures
If you have any queries about our environmental initiatives, or if you have any ideas about how we could we could do more to help protect our oceans and the wildlife within them, please get in touch, just email environmental/MOP/CarnivalUK.