1. Be Part of the Change
Becoming an active beach cleaner by simply picking up any litter you may come across makes an immediate impact on the environment and contributes towards the awareness of any future beach cleaning initiatives and environmental campaigns. The data you gather when cleaning a 100m stretch of beach will also help The Marine Conservation Society.
They take this information, collate it with other results and use that data to campaign for a change in mindset when it comes to our beaches. previous data has helped in initiatives such as the 5p retail bag charge. This initiative alone has seen plastic bag littering on beaches decrease by around 55% – and that is a reason for celebration.
The time for this year’s Great British Beach Clean week is fast approaching. This important initiative will take place from Friday the 17th of September to Sunday the 26th of September. During this week thousands of participants will be on beaches across the United Kingdom picking up litter – and making a real change to our environment and our enjoyment of Great Britain’s beaches.
It is both fascinating and worrying that last year’s beach clean revealed that the average 100m strip of beach contains approximately 425 pieces of litter. 100m Is only around 131 steps – that is by no means a large area and gives an indication of the severity of the litter problem. This is the scale of the challenge that the UK and beach clean participants face each and every year. This level of litter is a clear danger to wildlife, our environment, and the beauty of the natural world.
Initiatives like this are hosted by The Marine Conservation Society. During the course of the event, volunteers will clean and gather data about their 100m stretch of beach. This reveals the scope of the problem and identifies which items are responsible for the bulk of the litter – and this, in turn, helps to make campaigning for change more effective.
There is a multitude of reasons why beach cleaning initiatives are so important. If you have not yet signed up to do your part during September then these arguments why you should be part of the volunteer contingent.
2. It’s a Fun Group Activity
You will be contributing to a fantastic cause and you’ll also be having fun – a great combination. By joining CMP, you can perform your CSR effectively and make litter picking more pleasant. If you are alone make up a great playlist – or download some podcasts to catch up – it’s the perfect way to enjoy some alone time. Or join some like-minded eco-conscious folk to make it a fun way to get to know one another – the hours will fly past.
The activity also has the potential for a great family day. If the kids are involved there will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy those ‘learning moments that will give them some insight into just why littering is such a problem – but they’ll also be spending some quality time with loved ones – and might even meet some new friends along the way. if you are bringing someone under sixteen along make sure to fill in the consent form when you sign up.
3. Doing Your Bit for Marine Life
Unfortunately, during last year’s beach cleans around 30% of the litter that was gathered was PPE and face masks. These pieces of equipment literally saved lives – but they are also single-use and have been disposed of in enormous numbers.
They pollute rivers, streams, and the ocean and harm marine life. That litter that you will be gathering will save marine life in its many forms from mistakenly consuming plastics, choking, or becoming entangled in plastic litter. You will literally be saving animals from a painful and needless death.
