#Japan #Takashima #Precious Plastic #Karatsu #Marine Debris

Environmental Day Clean-Up on Takashima Island

On June 5, to mark Environment Day, Takashima Elementary School hosted a beach clean-up event led by NPO Karatsu Farm & Food, which is based in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. All 13 students from the school participated wholeheartedly in the activities. The day began with lessons on marine debris, followed by practical clean-up activities along the island’s beautiful coastline.

In the morning session, students learned about various aspects of marine trash, leading to a hands-on experience in the afternoon where they collected litter from the beach. They gathered eight bags of trash and a substantial amount of fishing gear, including buoys and tanks, enough to fill two carts. The children meticulously documented the types, quantities, and possible origins of their findings.

This program is part of an ongoing environmental education project that aims to explore various remote islands with local children. Following previous endeavors on Ogawajima in 2023, Kakarajima in 2024, and Mawatari Island in 2025, Takashima became the focus for 2026, well-known for the Hōtō Shrine.

Marine Education Experiences

During the morning class, high school students from Karatsu Minami High School, involved in the Rainbow Pine Grove Project and Marine Research Group, shared their environmental activities with the elementary students. Representatives from Saga Ballunaers, a local professional sports team, discussed unique environmental initiatives that they have undertaken as a sports organization. The lesson concluded with an engaging discussion about why waste can wash up on even the most distant shores, creating a valuable opportunity for intergenerational learning.

Discoveries on the Beach

As they ventured onto the beach in the afternoon, students uncovered surprising items wedged between rocks, including plastic bottles, Styrofoam, fishing floats, and even a partially worn-out soccer ball. One child excitedly picked up a bottle marked with a foreign script, leading to the realization: "What language is this?" It was a moment of clarity, highlighting that the ocean knows no borders and bringing a sense of global awareness to these young minds.

Throughout the clean-up, the children collected:

• - 3 bags of plastic bottles
• - 3 bags of burnable waste
• - 2 bags of non-burnable waste
• - 4 fishing buoys
• - 1 blue tank

Lessons Beyond Cleanliness

Alongside these tangible outcomes, the presence of a banner promoting Saga Prefecture's “Plus-Ma Life Saga” eco-initiative, with its slogan “Choose, Reduce, Recycle,” was integral to the day. Participants understood that the act of picking up trash is merely a starting point. They came to grips with the question of why so much waste washes ashore, marking an essential juncture in their educational journey.

The island project will continue until November, and on June 19, the caps collected will be transformed into keychains shaped like Takashima, demonstrating an upcycling initiative that turns waste into a meaningful product.

A Message from the NPO

NPO Karatsu Farm & Food's Vice President, Hiroaki Kojima, emphasized, "It’s rewarding to see the clean beach after collecting trash, but I want the children to pause and think: Why is so much trash accumulating here? It’s one thing to explain that there are no boundaries to the sea, but much more impactful when they find bottles with foreign languages themselves. This project is not about reaching the endpoint by cleaning up; it’s just the beginning of reducing waste. I hope this day on the island can be a gateway to broader awareness."

About NPO Karatsu Farm & Food

Located in Saga Prefecture, NPO Karatsu Farm & Food is dedicated to promoting biodiversity conservation, environmental education (ESD), and circular economy initiatives. They run the Precious Plastic Karatsu program, which focuses on upcycling collected marine plastics into new products, highlighting the importance of sustainability and environmental accountability.

For more information, visit Karatsu Farm & Food or follow them on Instagram.