At holidaycottages.co.uk, we are proud to work together with the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) on a shared passion: protecting our beautiful coastline from plastic pollution. That's why we are proud to once again back the Great British Beach Clean this September.
Supporting the Marine Conservation Society
What is The Great British Beach Clean?
The Marine Conservation Society has been running its iconic annual beach clean to help tackle ocean pollution for the past 28 years. Over this time, thousands of people have come together to pick up 319 tonnes of litter – that’s the equivalent of more than 26 double-decker buses!
Not only has the Great British Beach Clean made a huge impact on reducing the amount of plastic pollution on our beaches, but it has paved the way for some significant legislation on the most polluting products too, leading to the plastic bag charge, consultations on Deposit Return Schemes and better wet-wipe labelling to name a few.
Every year, the Marine Conservation Society organises beach cleans all around our country’s coastline over one weekend in September. Participants just find their nearest event and get involved. This year, it's spread over two weekends and the week in between, starting on September 20 and ending on September 29. It's easy to participate or even organise your own beach clean and there are lots of guides and resources available.
How do I get involved?
With the UK having one of the longest coastlines in Europe, this citizen science event is more important than ever! Mass participation gets the job done, leaving our beaches cleaner than they were before but also impacting everyone's everyday life in a positive way such as supporting a tax on single-use plastic items.
Beach cleans help to get the word out about the importance of taking care of our environment and taking part in one can be good for the soul. However, it's the data collected that can have the biggest impact. Litter data helps to drive MCS's conservation work and supports the International Coastal Clean-Up.
So, from the 20 – 29 September, the charity is calling on us all to find a beach near where we live and take our friends and family (including dogs!) along to help. Here’s how you can get involved:
Choosing a beach
Once you’ve decided which beach will be the setting for your Great British Beach Clean and registered to run the event, there are other things to bear in mind. For example, you need to take note of the tide times, get the beach owner’s permission and organise the collection of rubbish. You’ll also need to complete a risk assessment and think about what you and your volunteers need to bring.
What to bring
As well as bin bags and beach cleaning equipment, you’ll also need to remember to bring the risk assessment, volunteer survey forms to help record the litter, and a survey summary form too. It’s also handy to have a first aid kit and somewhere to put any sharps or glass you might find.
On the day
When the big day finally arrives, make sure everyone is aware of any health and safety issues, explain the methodology for the survey and arrange a time to meet back after the clean-up. After the clean, collect the bin bags up to weigh and count them and consider doing a closing talk – it’s brilliant that people give up their time to help clean up the beaches so make sure you say a big thank you to your friends and family for helping you to support this year’s event.
You can read more about organising a beach clean and find support for your event by clicking the button below.
Get involved
What if I don’t live near the coast?
Whether you live close to a beach or in the middle of the country, you can help clean up our coastline. As part of the Great British Beach Clean, the Marine Conservation Society is running the Source to Sea Litter Quest, to raise awareness of how pollutants get into our waterways and then end up on our beaches.
Around 80% of the litter on our beaches has come from towns, parks and rivers. To help prevent plastic pollution from finding its way to our coastline, you can try and spot the most common beach litter items in your area and dispose of them safely, preventing them from making their way into our water systems in the first place.
Join citizen scientists by the coast throughout the week of the Great British Beach Clean and take part in the Source to Sea Litter Quest, stopping litter from making its way to our seas. Find out the ways you can help, whether inland or at the coast.
You can also find out how you can do your bit to reduce litter in everyday life with our guide below.
Reduce your litter
Staying safe on a beach clean
Beach cleans are a brilliant way of getting out and about in the fresh coastal air, helping the planet and learning more about our environment at the same time. Find out more about the benefits of beach cleans by reading our guide:
Taking part in beach cleans
However, there are some safety tips to take into consideration. Here are some ways you can stay safe on a beach clean:
- Check the government’s and local council’s rules before visiting the beach
- Undertake a risk assessment and read the Marine Conservation Society's guides here
- Use gloves and litter pickers if possible, and wash your hands (or use sanitiser) frequently