EARLY Sunday morning and members of the Rotary Club of Bacolod Marapara, the Rotaract Club of Marapara and Barangay 35 Council were busy picking up mountains of trash at the Reclamation Area of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

This was the first in what will be a year-long series of clean-ups dubbed the Coastal Clean-Up Drive: Supporting the Environment.

Led by the incoming president of Marapara Rotary, Rolando Corona, and Rotaract Marapara President Mina Retita, the group of volunteers collected more than 70 bags of trash.

'Tons of trash is deposited each year on our coasts. It's unsightly and a health hazard to us all as well as an environmental hazard for marine life. Thanks to our volunteers today, we are pleased to have the opportunity to help the community have a cleaner and healthier environment,' said Corona.

Retita added that she hopes the project will help create wider awareness among residents of the need to protect our environment.

The next Coastal Clean-up Drive is scheduled in June.