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ICMS CEO in Take 3 For The Sea Ocean Clean Up

ICMS CEO in Take 3 For The Sea Ocean Clean Up

May 9, 2021

Take 3 for the Sea’ is a global environmental movement of people connected to the planet, and is designed to encourage beachgoers to collect at least 3 pieces of rubbish when leaving the beach. It is a simple yet highly effective initiative to prevent plastic pollution from further harming our ocean wildlife and killing the planet.

Take 3 for the Sea is also an industry partner of ICMS, with one of our students currently completing his Work Integrated Learning subjects with the organisation. Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship) international student Vincent Ferdinand Krohne (pictured above right), is originally from Germany and chose to intern with Take 3 For the Sea as part his professional placement.

“I’m really passionate about this cause, and it’s fantastic to see ICMS, and CEO Mr Courtney O’Connor in particular, stepping in and giving back to the community,” said Vincent.

Take 3 for the Sea is based on a simple concept. By removing 3 pieces of plastic each time you leave the beach, you make a positive difference to your local environment. This idea allows others to realise that even small actions can contribute to big positive changes. It all began in 2009, when two friends set about answering the question of how to inspire others to protect our oceans. Marine ecologist, Roberta Dixon-Valk and youth educator, Amanda Marechal developed Take 3 – an idea where a simple action could produce profound positive consequences. Joining forces with environmentalist Tim Silverwood, the trio publicly launched Take 3 as an organisation in 2010.

In 2019, Take 3 for the Sea launched the “CEO clean-up”, an event for business leaders to give back to their community and show leadership in sustainability. Businesses can nominate their CEO’s and businesses leaders to represent their organisation and give back to their community.

They can also fund raise within their organisation to assist in raising money removing rubbish from the ocean and educating students through the Take 3 Education Programs. Past CEO Clean up events held in the Central Coast proved to be a huge success, with 90 CEO’s and business leaders attending, collecting 500 kilograms of litter, and raising over $36,000.

CEO Rowan Courtney O’Connor (pictured above) participated in the Take 3 for the Sea CEO Clean up at Manly Cove Beach on 7 May.

Joined by more than 50 other CEOs and business leaders in Sydney, the group headed out to the beach to clean up plastic and waste in the ocean. The rain washed up extra rubbish onto the beach and they got busy cleaning up all sorts of debris.

After a productive hour of cleaning, they sorted the rubbish from large parking signs with metal poles still attached, to micro plastic the size of a pin head. Among the usual suspects of cigarette butts, food packaging, plastic straws, bottle caps, glass and cans, and disposable utensils, soy sauce caps seem to be the most prolific waste collected. The most interesting rubbish found on the day, as noted by the Take 3 for the Sea CEO, was a tennis ball with barnacles growing on it, a toilet cleaner casing, and a baby dummy.

A major take away from this experience, as stated by Rowan, was the difficulty in differentiating plastic from nature. “It is extremely difficult to tell a sea shell from a piece of plastic, it’s no wonder the wide life is eating them, when I have trouble distinguishing it even through close examination.”

Results from the Take 3 for the Sea clean up

  • 27,603 Rubbish items taken off the beach including
  • 20,000+ small pieces of plastic, plastic film and polystyrene
  • 87 Kilos of Rubbish removed
  • Heaviest item – A 2P Parking sign
  • Strangest item – A tennis ball with barnacles growing out of it
  • 55 – CEO and business leader participants
  • $30,413 – Raised for Take 3 to further our work to eliminate plastic from our oceans and waterways

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats to oceans, marine life and the broader environment. Over 8 million tonnes of new plastic enters the ocean each year, and by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Every day, businesses across Australia are adding to this problem. But WE can be part of the solution.

Next time you are at the beach, or on a walk, take 3 pieces of rubbish with you and put it in the bin. By doing this, you will have made a difference! 

With the ICMS Northern Beaches campus being 5 minutes away from a variety of Sydney’s most beautiful beaches, taking actions to protect our oceans is a top priority. If you would like to read more about the 9 beaches surrounding ICMS, click here

If you would like to help out, you can still donate at https://www.ceocleanup.com/donate/

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