4-year-old girl deep-dives into ocean to clear plastic waste; see pics

Nina Gomes is no average environmentalist. Just 4 years old, she picks trash with her father from the water along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Nina’s example will bring in love and empathy and also help break public apathy that surrounds environmental protection in Brazil.

Nina Gomes is no average environmentalist. Just 4 years old, she picks trash with her father from the water along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Credit: Reuters Photo

Nina and her father set out on a paddleboard into the picturesque but polluted waters of Rio's Guanabara Bay, where she grabs plastic bottles and bags and puts them in a mesh net. Credit: Reuters Photo

Asked why she collects waste from the sea, she says:

Gomes, who made a film in 2017 about the underwater world of Guanabara Bay, was inspired by the birth of his daughter to start Instituto Mar Urbano, a Rio-based group dedicated to fighting marine disasters. Credit: Reuters Photo

Nina’s example will bring in love and empathy and also help break public apathy that surrounds environmental protection in Brazil. Credit: Reuters Photo