Ohanga Hosts Westerly Beach Clean-up
Buzz / Ohanga Hosts Westerly Beach Clean-Up
WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND USA—May 19, 2021—RI-based small start-up Ohanga™ Inc. has paired up with one of its own creatives 42020 Visionaries to host a community clean-up at Misquamicut State Beach. Plastic waste sent to landfills is often carried by wind and rain on to our coastlines, and Rhode Island beaches are no exception to this part of the plastic problem.
Ohanga was born during the COVID-19 pandemic with the hope of providing an outlet of support and patronage to the hard-hit artist and artisan industry, a community that was widely overlooked during this tumultuous time. The company’s mission is three-fold: “Verified Local, Fair Trade, Sustainable.” The first two pillars are evident through driving art commerce in the form of Ohanga’s online creative market and Newport art gallery. Ohanga’s most recent partnership with one of its current “creatives” 42020 Visionaries—an alternative and holistic health service—shows the company’s commitment to the third pillar.
Buying locally-made consumables is inherently more sustainable, as it reduces greenhouse gases that are necessary to transport goods long distances. In order for a company to support sustainability it must also participate actively in environmental conservation. Plastics take 500-1000 years to degrade, and exposure to sunlight, water and wind breaks plastic down into tiny “microplastics” which are ingested by birds, fish, and humans. Only 9% of plastic waste is ever recycled, leaving thousands of pounds of trash to pollute coastal ecosystems.
Misquamicut State Beach is located in Westerly, RI and covers three miles of land from Weekapaug to Watch Hill. The beach-area is very active and largely populated with the nearby parking lot able to hold up to 2700 cars. The state beach frequently hosts activities throughout the year such as two annual music festivals—Springfest in May and Fallfest in September—and offers amenities to locals and visitors like the beach pavilion with gift shops, shade gazebos, and outdoor cold showers.
A public area such as this that provides a space for communities to grow and come together should be protected and taken care of, and Ohanga with the help of 42020 Visionaries is giving back to the beach that has given so much to the residents and visitors of Westerly.
The Misquamicut Beach Clean-up will take place this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visit the Ohanga Facebook page for more information and to RSVP. The event is free and anyone who RSVPs will be provided with cleaning tools including a trash bucket and trash picker on the day of the event.
For more information about Ohanga, 42020 Visionaries, and the Misquamicut Beach Clean-up visit our website, call the Ohanga store at (401) 433-0018, or email us at info@ohanga.com. The Ohanga Newport Art Gallery is open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from noon to 8 p.m.
Author: Francesca Giangiulio
We envision a world in which creatives can grow and share their passions unburdened from the complexity of business management; a world where a community can easily access art for sale as well as celebrate and engage with their local artists. We are committed to sustainability and support local art and consumables that are made with eco-friendly materials as well as promote an environmentally conscious world.
Read more about our sustainability initiatives.
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Find us at our Newport art store, Ohanga Newport.