This August (when Australia was in a lockdown), we collaborated with Sky and Mitch, a photography and adventure loving couple in Washington State, US on a coastal beach clean up.
Photos and words from @skyfrost and @mitchmeyers
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It started out as an instant message and led to a greener, more beautiful tomorrow. Before Merry People, I thought boots were just boots, something to keep your feet from the elements, but how wrong I was. The plan was to clean up our local shores of washed up and left behind waste; little did we know that this weekend would be so much more.
(Get out and about with PacWesty van hire)
Embarking on our adventure with our trusty boots all packed, our van was ready to roll, and we couldn't wait to hit the road. As we drove through the west coast smoke, the forest fires had been incredibly destructive this year; we were hoping that tomorrow would be a breath of fresh air. Usually, I would be sad to be greeted with the torrential downpour, but as we got closer to the coast, it seemed like the rain had no end in sight. Luckily, when we awoke the next morning, the clouds had not only cleared, but it was the freshest of air.
We were more than excited to get out on the shores as the weather had given us one of the most beautiful Washington coast mornings, with sunshine and rolling fog. With boots beneath our feet, trash bags in hand, we were on a mission to see a cleaner, more beautiful beach by the end of the day. As our crew spread across the massive beach, we had all hands-on deck, bags began to fill.
As we collected, we noticed the trash on the Washington shores was a collection of garbage with many languages from lands thousands of miles away. Reminding us that no matter the distance, we all live on the same planet, your trash is my trash, and their waste is our waste. And together, across the globe's coasts, others were cleaning up their local shores too, collectively seeking the mission to see a greener tomorrow.
The Washington coast cleanup was a huge success! The locals of Washington helped clean up over 8,000 lbs. of trash and raised over $50,000 in funds for our local nonprofit WA Coast Savers. That is not all; the amazing people at Merry People donated a few pairs of boots to the volunteers who helped the most, encouraging those who went above and beyond to keep up the good work.
We spent the rest of the weekend running and playing in the waves. Feeling like there was such thing as a brighter, greener tomorrow. With light hearts and warm toes, we headed home where the smoke roamed, but to our surprise, it had cleared up, taking with it the haze of yesterday—a glimmer of hope that our efforts would lead to brighter tomorrows.
With Merry People beneath our feet, we feel like we can do anything, even fight the good fight of helping our planet see a greener tomorrow. These boots aren't just a pair of shoes; they are an explorer's best friend, a rainy-day pal, a puddle jumping mate, a wave chasing partner, and an earth-loving sidekick. Merry People have got you in mind, ready for any adventure, no matter the weather or green endeavour.
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Stay Merry everyone! xx
