The annual Gay Pride in Amsterdam attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city. For many the festive event, with the Canal Parade on the water as its climax, is a reason to really go to town. A party like this generates a lot of litter and that is why we attended the Canal Parade 2017 to encourage visitors to fish plastic out of the canals and put it in garbage bags.
On the 5th of August we filled three canal boats with Plastic Soup Foundation volunteers and sailed out ahead of the parade. The boats were equipped with fishing nets and garbage bags which were handed out to houseboat owners and Canal Parade visitors. Bearing a large Amsterdam Clean Water banner we showed as many people as possible that everyone can help keep water clean. On the way we also fished litter out of the canal. Through this activity we contributed to the three-year Amsterdam Clean Water project for cleaner water in and around Amsterdam’s canals and the River IJ.
