Earth Day began in the gentlest way possible, with a beautiful morning yoga session at Jardim Almirante Reis Park, led by Olesea Rusu.
Surrounded by greenery, fresh air, and the calm energy of the morning, it felt like the perfect way to begin the day: slowly, mindfully, and in connection with nature. Olesea reminded us that, just like the Earth, we also need to stay grounded, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
Through breath, movement, and stillness, she invited us to arrive fully in the present moment and to begin the day with intention.
It was a truly special session. Children joined in as well, bringing even more warmth and joy to the circle. We moved through poses inspired by nature, including tree pose and butterfly pose, each one gently reflecting the spirit of Earth Day. A calming scent was rubbed onto our hands to help us feel present, and the soft sound of chimes at the end of the session left everyone feeling peaceful, grateful, and refreshed.
Again and again, people said the same thing: what a beautiful way to start the day.
And then, it was time for the beach cleanup.
At first, the beach looked clean.
There was maybe a tissue here, a small piece of plastic there, but nothing that immediately stood out. Some people even wondered what we would clean for an entire hour. Marelin said something that stayed with the group: “If there is nothing to clean, that’s good news.”
But as soon as the gloves were on and everyone began to spread out, the reality started to look very different.
The first unusual thing we noticed were blankets held down by rocks. Do we take it or leave it? Maybe it belonged to someone who needed it, so we moved on. Then, between the stones, more and more rubbish started to appear: firework sticks, cigarette butts, bits of plastic, wrappers. Things that were easy to miss at first glance, but impossible to ignore once we started looking properly.
And then came the bigger discovery.
Between the concrete blocks along the shore, hidden from plain view, was a shocking amount of waste: bottles, cans, sweet wrappers, and layers of rubbish trapped in spaces most people would never think to check. What had looked clean from a distance was anything but.
Very quickly, one bag was not enough.
“We need more bags,” Marelin said. “We need more volunteers.”
Simone from Madeira Unlocked, alongside Rosa, climbed down to collect waste from below, pulling out more and more rubbish from the hidden spaces between the rocks and blocks. It was surprising, and honestly upsetting, to see how much had been sitting there unnoticed.
That became one of the biggest lessons of the day.
Sometimes pollution is obvious. But often, it hides in the cracks, between the stones, beneath the surface, in the places we do not immediately look. The beach may appear clean, but that does not always mean it is. There were 9 of us in total, from different countries, different backgrounds, and different age groups, all coming together with the same intention: to care for this place we share.
After collecting the rubbish, we gathered again to sort it into recyclable and non-recyclable waste. And for a moment, there was silence. In just 50 minutes, bags of trash had been collected. Fifty minutes of work, and already so much had been removed, trash that could easily have ended up in the ocean. That was the reality we were left with.
Because sometimes the most beautiful way to honor the Earth is to begin in stillness, and then get to work. Thank you to everyone who participated in one way or another