Hi there and welcome to e-mail newsletter #14!

This message goes to my 50 subscribers, with a big Thank you for signing up. If you have not yet explored the OneBeautifulPlanet.org Newsletter archive, check it out. I wrote the first issue in June, 2023.

Afroz Shah

For every newsletter I feature a person, animal, or plant that has inspired or intrigued me. It is a moment of reflection and gratitude toward life on Earth, meant to find lessons and nurture curiosity. Last week I talked about the spotted lanternfly and prior weeks included animals, like the praying mantis, sharks, the albatross, and luminaries such as the architect and designer Buckminster Fuller and the oceanographer Dr Silvia Earle.

Today I am featuring a young Indian lawyer and environmental activist who lives in Mumbai, named Afroz Shah. I learned about him from The Angry Clean Energy Guy Podcast, with Assaad Razzouk.

Afroz’s story is a testament to the power of one person's determination to make a positive difference in the world. In 2015, Afroz began singlehandedly cleaning Versova Beach, one of the most polluted beaches in Mumbai, India. At the time, the beach had become a public sewer, covered in thousands of pounds of mostly plastic waste and debris.

Initially, Afroz's mission was a solo endeavor. Armed with a pair of gloves and his persistence, he spent several hours every weekend picking up trash, removing plastic waste, and encouraging others to join him. After cleaning mostly alone for the first three months, his regularly showing up to do the work caught the attention of local residents and volunteers who slowly began to join him in the cleanup efforts. 

What started as a one-man mission soon turned into a full-fledged movement. Afroz Shah's initiative, known as the "Versova Beach Cleanup," gained widespread attention and support. Volunteers from all walks of life, including students, professionals, and community members, flocked to the beach to lend a hand in the cleanup efforts. Companies like Adidas and Dow Chemical started supporting the work, and some even provided machinery, trucks, and heavy equipment which was needed to sort through, collect, and transport the trash off the beach.

Through their steady work, Afroz and his followers eventually returned the beach to its natural beauty, and ocean turtles began to come back to the beach to hatch.

In just a few years, this grassroots movement had transformed the beach from a dumping ground into a pristine coastline, sparking a sense of pride and ownership among the local community. The transformation of Versova Beach became a symbol of what collective action and dedication to the environment can achieve.

While maintaining his day-to-day employment and career as a lawyer, Afroz Shah has since become a symbol of hope and change in the fight against plastic pollution and beach litter. He received numerous accolades and awards for his environmental work, including the United Nations' Champion of the Earth award in 2016. His story also inspired similar cleanup movements in other parts of India and around the world.

Afroz Shah's work extends beyond the physical cleanup of beaches. He recognizes the importance of advocacy and education in the fight against plastic pollution. Through workshops, seminars, and public awareness campaigns, he educates people about the environmental impact of single-use plastics and the need for sustainable living, as well as a shared responsibility in civic engagement. One of his mantras is “Do more, talk less”.

I found Afroz Shah's journey from a single individual cleaning a polluted beach on his spare time to an international symbol of environmental activism to be deeply inspiring. His dedication to cleaning up and his commitment to education remind us that every one of us has the power to make a difference. In his words, “there are people who sit with pen and paper in front of a camera their whole lives and nothing changes. Ten years later the problem is still there.”

Afroz Shah's story is a shining example of how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary feats when they are driven by passion and a sense of responsibility towards the world around us, and they consistently put in the work that is necessary to attract followers and lead to change.

Sources:

• ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Episode 63 - May 2023

• The HrishiKay Sessions Podcast - July 2022

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afroz_Shah

Mindset

“For what the leaders are, that as a rule the men below them will be" — Xenophon

In the Works

I wrote a detailed account of my amazing experience on Burlington Island with the folks at Spearhead Project Earth. Check it out!

Also updated my solo vs. group cleanups article since Burlington is now my second organized cleanup effort in addition to the Schuylkill River one from August, so I learned a few additional insights.

Lastly, I travelled to Buffalo, NY on business, packed my Waterhaul foldable litter grabber with me, and got a chance to do a couple of cleanups downtown around my hotel: The Hilton Garden Inn in Lafayette Square, and on Main Street - see a few pics further below. Always try to leave a place better than you found it! On this note, also my newsletter last week where I covered my Pittsburgh trip cleanup.

If you found this newsletter helpful or interesting, please share with your friends, contacts, and anyone you know who may benefit from following my journey. Let’s gain some knowledge, and take action toward a cleaner, healthier world!

Thank you.

Razvan