Coral loved the beach. She loved the salty air, the soft sand, and the sound of the waves. But one sunny morning, something was different. The beach wasn't sparkling clean.
Everywhere Coral looked, there were plastic bottles, old bags, and tangled fishing nets. It made her tummy feel squishy and sad. Then, she saw something moving near the water's edge.
It was a sea turtle! But poor Shelly was stuck. A plastic ring was wrapped around one of his flippers, making it hard for him to swim. Coral knew she had to help.
Gently, very gently, Coral worked to free Shelly. She tugged and untangled until, with a soft pop, the plastic ring came loose. Shelly wiggled his flipper, then looked at Coral with grateful eyes.
"Thank you, little friend," Shelly seemed to say with a nod of his head. "This plastic is everywhere. It hurts me and all my ocean friends."
Shelly told Coral about the fish who mistook plastic for food, and the birds who got tangled in old nets. The ocean, their home, was becoming a messy, dangerous place.
Coral felt a big ache in her heart. She couldn't clean the whole ocean by herself, but she could do *something*. She started by picking up the plastic around her.
Day after day, Coral returned to the beach with her bucket. She picked up bottles, bags, and pieces of foam. It was hard work, but she felt a little bit better with each piece she collected.
Soon, her family and even some friends joined her! They learned about the problem from Coral and wanted to help too. Together, they made a big difference.
One afternoon, Coral saw a familiar shell peeking out of the waves. It was Shelly! He swam closer, his eyes twinkling, as if to say, "Thank you, Coral. Our ocean home is much happier now."
Coral knew that protecting the ocean was a big job, but every little bit helped. And knowing she had made a difference for Shelly and all his friends filled her heart with sunshine.
So remember, every piece of plastic picked up, every choice to reduce waste, helps keep our amazing ocean blue and full of life for everyone!
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