Beach cleanups are a fantastic way to get involved with the local community and make an impact in your area
More than eight million tonnes of plastic are dumped into our oceans every single year.
This is the equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute.
In fact, it’s estimated that fish in the North Pacific digest an estimated 12,000-24,000 tonnes of plastic each year. Plastic then builds up in the food chain, leading to death of ocean wildlife.
What you can do to help
There are beach cleanups happening all across the UK which provide you with the opportunity to meet other people wanting to take action in your local area.
Here’s everything that’s going on this February:
24th February
Kent, Deal, Deal Beach, 10:00am
Essex, Clacton-on-Sea, Jaywick Sea, 10:30am
Yorkshire, Scarborough, Cornelian Bay, 12;30pm
North Ayrshire, Irvine, Irvine Beach, 2:00pm
25th February
Merseyside, Hightown, Hightown Beach, 10:00am
28th February
West Sussesx, Worthing, Worthing – George V Beach, 10:00am
Cumbria, Whitehaven, Whitehaven North Shore, 10:30am
What to take on a beach clean
If you go on an organised beach clean-up, you will most likely be provided with gloves, a bin and ‘grabbers’ – a stick that can grab the rubbish for you. Beyond this, it can sometimes be helpful to take a few extra materials.
Scissors or a small knife can be useful as you will come across rubbish stuck beneath the rocks. It is important to dress appropriately for the event: make sure to dress up warm, and wear either wellies or walking boots. Take plenty of water (in a non-plastic bottle) as you may be out on the beach for multiple hours.
