SUP for Sustainability: students clean up the Leiden canals
Anniversary activity image: Marc de Haan
Some thirty Leiden students balanced on SUP boards for the Supping for Sustainability Lustrum activity. Together with alumnus Merijn Tinga, better known as the Plastic Soup Surfer, they paddled their boards through the Leiden canals and waterways, fishing plastic waste out of the water.
Saturday 30 August saw the students launch themselves on paddleboards onto the water from a small jetty near to the Old Observatory, with instructors standing by for guidance. They paddled their boards in groups through the Leiden canals. For some of them it was their first time on a SUP board, while others glided confidently over the water. Tom, a master’s student of English Language and Linguistics, had this to say: ‘What a fantastic day! It takes a bit of getting used to, but I soon found myself gaining confidence in myself and the SUP.’
A big haul
Mukta is studying International Relations and Diplomacy in The Hague and was also on a SUP for the first time. ‘I fell into the water twice, but that didn’t stop me enjoying myself. What struck me was that at first sight the canals seem clean, but if you look at how much waste we fished out of the water, you really see just how necessary this is.’
Plastic Soup Surfer
After the trip around the canals, Isa van Schaick, a master’s student of International Relations, interviewed the Plastic Soup Surfer. He has known the Leiden waterways since he was a student here: ‘I chose to study Biology specially in Leiden because it was closest to the beach and I could kitesurf as much as possible.’ Tinga once made his own surfboard out of all the similar plastic waste that he fished out of the water. ‘I wanted to kitesurf from Belgium to Germany, but I ended up landing on Ameland.’
When asked how he stays motivated to carry out environmental projects, Tinga replied: ‘Awareness is important, but you need concrete actions. That’s why I share photos of plastic waste with big companies and governments. You can help with this by downloading The Plastic Avengers App and sharing photos of litter.’
Taking action together
‘Being here together with people who want to play a part in the environment is the most important thing we can do. Trying to meet other people and taking action together is the only way to achieve progress,’ Tinga says.
The group of students that collected the most waste won a month of free sports at the University Sports Centre. Timo Kos, Vice President of the Executive Board, presented the prize. Kos himself took to a SUP to join the party on the water: ‘I’ve had a great day. Merijn’s stories are so inspiring, and it was incredible to see what we collected - from plant pots to traffic signs. A fantastic initiative, and above all great fun to do!’
