Sony is supporting not-for-profit organisation, Sustainable Coastlines, as it cleans up beaches in New Zealand and around the Pacific.

Most recently, Sony donated electronics to help the organisation record their expedition to the isolated Tongan islands of Ha’apai. These tiny islands previously had no recycling or landfill system in place and as a result they were becoming polluted by unsightly rubbish, scattered along beaches and in the backyards of local homes.

Sustainable Coastlines’ mission was to clear the rubbish on Ha’apai while educating locals about how they could put sustainable waste solutions in place for the future. In the end, their visit was very successful with more than 3000 Ha’apai residents helping them to collect rubbish and shift it to a local Navy base where it was sorted for removal to a proper landfill in the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa, or further shipment to recycling plants in New Zealand.

“The South Pacific has an incredibly rich ecosystem but with the prevailing ocean currents and lack of localised waste collection or recycling facilities, it’s always going to be under threat from rubbish and pollution,” says Sam Judd of Sustainable Coastlines.

“We are always pleased to get opportunities to work on the ground in local communities where the need is great, like Ha’apai. To see the enthusiastic response from locals who want to work with us to preserve their slice of paradise is something very special. We also really appreciate Sony’s assistance with our deployment there and look forward to ongoing development of this partnership.”

In addition to product donations, Sony New Zealand staff plan to become more directly involved with Sustainable Coastlines clean-ups on New Zealand beaches.

For further information, visit sustainablecoastlines.org.