[VIDEO] Agen: The « Naïade » barge tells the story of the protection of the ocean over the water

Small streams make big rivers. And the pollution that comes with them inevitably ends up in the ocean. The NGO Expedition 7th Continent (in reference to the continent formed from millions of tons of plastic detritus drained by ocean currents, editor’s note) is on the front line to observe this pollution to which it has been raising awareness of the greatest number for many years. If before she went from seaports to seaports by sailboat, today she is moving inland to raise awareness among as many people as possible on board the barge « Naïade » in partnership with the Voies Navigables de France (VNF) and Citeo.

Pollution at source

Arrived on May 5 in Agen, the building’s workshops barely had time to be set up when school groups were already welcomed. « We make young people aware of this problem of ocean pollution », explains Patrick Deixonne, founder of the NGO Expedition 7th Continent, navigator, and member of the Society of Explorers, « We explain to them, with our facilitators, pollution in microplastics thanks to our microscopes, sorting, the consequences of each gesture on deck and below, we do a reminder with a practical application on sorting waste. » In fifteen-minute workshops, children and their families discover the consequences of sorting errors and how a cigarette butt thrown into the canal in Agen will often inevitably end up in the ocean. « Today, sorting has become accessible. Even at the edge of the banks, we find sorting bins. If we sort, we recycle or for what cannot be, it does not end up in nature », continues Patrick Dexonne.

An encouraging development

Patrick Dexonne and his NGO have been raising awareness for ten years on the protection of the oceans. And an encouraging sign, he has seen a lot of progress since his first actions in 2012: « When I started, no one had any idea what the 7th continent was. Today, it has entered common vocabulary. Even the children, and for that I say congratulations to national education, are sensitized » rejoices the navigator. « Young people are growing up more and more with an environmental conscience. They already know a lot of things and we only explain the damage of pollution on the waterways. At the weekend, we see that it is them who explain to their parents how the pollution of the oceans is made, what is sorted… » On the barge, the children present themselves give many correct answers to the questions of the facilitators. They are both interested and fascinated by this pollution which is often invisible or distant to them. As in the workshop of Gauthier Seveno, facilitator on the lifespan of waste in nature: « There is waste that jumps out at them but they know a lot of things…And what’s funny is between adults and children, there is not much difference in knowledge. » At the end of the workshops, the children are ready to sort their waste without errors and pass on this knowledge to their parents.

After Agen, the barge will set sail for Valence d’Agen from May 10 to 11, Moissac from May 13 to 15, Castelsarrasin from May 17 to May 19, Montauban from May 21 to 25 and finally a last stop in Toulouse from May 28 to June 4.