A warning between waves and plastic
Walking along the beaches of Vitória has always been a unique experience for me. As a nature photographer, my eyes constantly search for details that tell stories, reveal secrets, and show the interaction between natural elements and human presence. However, among the seashells, I often find something that should never be there: plastics, cigarette butts, bags, bottle caps, and packaging waste.
This trash, irresponsibly discarded in rivers and beaches, travels with the tides and accumulates in places that should be paradisiacal. The problem is, it doesn’t just disappear. It becomes part of the marine life cycle, causing irreversible damage to animals that mistake these materials for food.
The silent tragedy of sea turtles
At IPRAM, a marine wildlife rehabilitation center, an image marked my memory and became one of the most impactful photographs in my book Baía das Tartarugas, launched in 2024. The skull of a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), placed among the waste removed from its stomach, cruelly and objectively summarizes the harsh reality these animals face.
The loggerhead turtle, a species that nests on Espírito Santo’s beaches, is among the most affected by marine debris. Abandoned fishing nets, plastic bags, and packaging remnants are mistaken for their natural food. When ingested, they block their digestive system and ultimately lead to death.
Various types of debris found on the beaches of Vitória, including plastics, bags, and bottle caps, polluting the coastal environment. | Photo: Leonardo Merçon/Instituto Últimos Refúgios
Vitória is also home to a significant number of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), often seen swimming near the coast. These incredible creatures can live for decades and travel across oceans, yet remain vulnerable to human irresponsibility.
Ecofrade: a project making a difference
Marine litter is a global problem, but solutions can start with small local actions. With this mindset, we created the Ecofrade Project, a partnership between the Últimos Refúgios Institute, the Ilha do Frade Residents’ Association (SAMIFRA), Vale, and Amariv, an association of recyclable material collectors in Vitória.
Since 2021, the project has recorded over 100,000 kg of recyclable waste and worked to structure selective waste collection in Ilha do Frade, ensuring materials are properly disposed of and transformed into income for waste collectors. But we knew that merely providing trash bins wouldn’t be enough. We needed to raise awareness, showcase the impacts of marine litter, and involve the community in the solution.
ECOLÉ: A direct and humorous message
That’s how the “Ecolé: made by you!” campaign was born—a fun way to remind people that the trash thrown in rivers and beaches can come back to haunt us.
The campaign takes an unusual approach: actors dressed as street vendors offer absurd products—“popsicles” made from plastic waste, cigarette-butt juice, skewers of plastic packaging, colorful straws collected from the waves. People’s reactions range from surprise to reflection—exactly what we aimed for.
Launched in 2024, the campaign also includes a promotional and educational video, another awareness tool shared on social media. Watch it here:
For 2025, the campaign mascot Atena, the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), has been replaced by Olívia, the sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), who mimics choking on litter to draw attention to the issue. It’s a lighthearted but powerful way to educate residents and visitors about the importance of keeping beaches clean.
Ecolé campaign taking place at Ilha do Frade Beach, in Vitória, ES; PHOTO: Vitor Pinheiro
The 2025 ECOLÉ season kicked off last weekend and will continue through late January and February on weekends. Check the schedule and join us:
📍 February 1 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade and Curva da Jurema
📍 February 2 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade
📍 February 8 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade and Guarderia
📍 February 9 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade and Curva da Jurema
📍 February 15 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade
📍 February 16 at 1 PM – Ilha do Frade and Guarderia
The impact of marine litter
According to UN data, a significant portion of marine debris comes from land-based activities, entering the oceans through rivers. Plastic, the most dominant material among the waste, can take centuries to decompose and poses serious threats to marine life—and, consequently, to humans. As illustrated in the article’s main photo, many turtles die after ingesting plastic fragments.
The problem is real, but the solution is within our reach. Each of us can contribute by reducing the use of disposable plastics, properly disposing of waste, and demanding public and private initiatives to ensure cleaner oceans.
We must always remember: “A sustainable city isn’t the one that cleans the most, but the one that pollutes the least!”
Plastic waste integrated into the coastal environment and local wildlife in Vitória. | Photo: Leonardo Merçon/Instituto Últimos Refúgios
A clean beach starts with you
The ECOLÉ campaign is an invitation to reflection and habit change. The litter left on the beach doesn’t disappear—it becomes part of a cycle that directly impacts marine life and, ultimately, our own existence.
Photographer Leonardo Merçon among debris on the beach of Ilha do Boi, in Vitória, highlighting the impact of waste on the natural environment. | Photo: Leonardo Merçon/Instituto Últimos Refúgios
If each of us does our part, the beaches of Vitória can continue to be a refuge for turtles, birds, fish, and many other species that share this space with us.
If you believe in this cause, participate! Share this story, spread the message, and help transform our natural environments into cleaner, healthier places for all.
Visit, comment, like, and share this content. Send the article link to your friends who would enjoy this story. Your engagement is essential to keep my conservation passion alive and show the world the importance of protecting our biodiversity.
Turtles swimming in the waters of Vitória, a scene of beauty and tranquility in a coastal environment. | Photo: Leonardo Merçon/Instituto Últimos Refúgios
I hope you enjoyed this story. See you in the next adventure! 🌎💚
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Nature photographer and cinematographer, founder of Instituto Últimos Refúgios, Master in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development, passionate about the environment! Join me on this incredible journey of wildlife discoveries and see more beautiful stories as I constantly explore nature.
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