Help Us Save Galapagos Animals from Plastic!

The VIVE WORLD IN COOPERATION FOUNDATION is a non-profit organization, incorporated under the laws of Ecuador and founded in Galapagos under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition. VWC is an entity with environmental purposes with legal status, assets and own resources, whose mission is to "propose and implement solutions to mitigate climate change and nature conservation through awareness and collaboration of people ensuring the future for future generations" Its action is framed in "Propose and implement environmental care programs aimed at vulnerable natural environments and affected by anthropogenic action, involving citizen participation as a central axis, thus promoting sustainability, ecological restoration and good living" functions that performs it with the endorsement of the Ministry of Environment, water and ecological transition, ministerial agreement n° 2021-042 with granting of legal personality on October 6, 2021.

Today we know that the world produces more waste from packaging than from manufactured products and each year more tons of waste are contributed. We observe how the oceans, wetlands, roads, neighborhoods and even tourist visitor centers have become true free disposal dumps, and the excessive use of plastics is part of the usual landscape of roads and natural environments inhabited by protected species of Galapagos. Therefore, we must make the decision to change this situation and get to work on improving social practices for a correct hierarchy in waste management.

Because of the ingestion of plastics and translucent and small microplastics due to fragmentation they are mistaken for food by many groups of species, such as turtles for example, these cause an obstruction of the digestive tract which will prevent the nutrients consumed by the animals to be used. All this will result in the death of many species by starvation or malnutrition. It is estimated that only in the sea there are 100,000 animals that die each year and more than 1 million birds. Humans are also affected by these, since it is estimated that we ingest about 5 grams of plastic per year, these are found in the water we drink, food, clothing and even air.

In Galapagos the effect of plastic on animals is immediate, given the large influx of cruise ship tourism, visits to protected sites and especially the proximity of homes to the national park and home to native animals displaced by the growing human population expansion. This is why working together with different institutions, governments and the community in general is necessary to generate a change and make a difference, VWC together with the Autonomous Decentralized Government of Santa Cruz have signed a cooperation agreement to work in Land Cleanups and Environmental Education to the community. We are also committed to the Galapagos National Park Institution by actively participating in the coastal cleanups of the archipelago.

Help us save the animals of Galapagos! Collaborate and we can go further and bring environmental education to more people, it is important to raise awareness and see the reality that happens every day. With every plastic we collect we are saving an animal that ingests it, we are protecting our flora from soil poisoning, we are protecting ourselves from the silent consumption of microplastics! Every Action counts and your help will allow us to move forward.

Follow our work on www.viveworldincooperation.org and on social networks such as @vwcorganization, your support is important!

We appreciate your Contribution

VWC Team.