4 February 2012—Khuk Khak, Phang Nga Province—

For the third consecutive year, Youth Outreach Students from the Foundation for Education and Development (FED) and diving instructors from the Khao Lak’s Wicked Diving Company joined together to clean refuse from the beach at Tublamu village, Koh Nai Yak Island. More than a ton of refuse, mostly plastic, was removed.

This trip was organized by the Wicked Diving Company of Khao Lak and FED. Wicked Diving has long been a principal patron of FED’s Youth Outreach Program.

Paul Landgraver of Wicked Diving explained that, “Most of the garbage is going to the ocean because of people. Some garbage is mixed with chemical elements. This kills sea life. Therefore cleaning our beaches is a no-brainer.”

Mr. Phyo Zaw Aung, one of youth outreach students said “I studied up to grade ten and I visited Maung Magan beach every weekend. It never occurred to me to clean up the beach. Nobody else mentioned it either. It was only when I was taught in Youth Outreach about how to save the environment and how to save a sea animal’s life that I came to see this as important. I will make my community aware of the importance of saving the environment and cleaning our beaches.”

Another Youth Outreach student, Miss Myintzu Aye, said, “I am so proud of helping to clean our environment on the beach. When I get back to Myanmar I work hard to raise this environmental issue and encourage cleaning our beaches.”

The Wicked Diving Company is a collective of SCUBA diving instructors who share the belief that diving should be safe, educational, and fun. Besides being the area’s foremost diving firm, Wicked deeply is involved in local environmental and humanitarian issues. Visit their website at www.wickeddiving.com