by Una Sinnott
More than 600 people from across Galway have signed up for this year's Big Beach Clean, which takes place during the third weekend in September, and organisers are calling on more Galwegians to get involved.
The Big Beach Clean is an annual call-to-action, organised by Clean Coasts, that calls volunteers from communities all over Ireland getting involved to remove litter from our beautiful coast at the end of the bathing season, as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC ), operated internationally by Ocean Conservancy.
This year, the initiative will run from September 17 to 19, the same weekend as World Clean-up Day. Clean ups will take place at 20 different locations around Galway on the day.
Communities and volunteers across the country are invited to register their own clean-ups in any location in Ireland, no matter how far from the coast.
The Big Beach Clean is also an opportunity for volunteers to get involved in a worldwide citizen science project, which entails recording the amount and types of litter on Irish beaches and filling in Clean Coasts’ marine litter data cards. This will help heighten awareness about the issue of marine litter, and serve as an indicator of the magnitude of the problem.
Public participation through citizen science is the key concept in which everyone does their small part to increase knowledge and provides a lifeline to scientists who would not have the capacity to carry out this research alone. The data collected contributes to a growing body of knowledge, helping to reveal patterns and trends, identify areas for further research, and even inform policy. The benefits of citizen science, however, are not only confined to the scientific community. Taking part in these collaborative efforts also promotes active citizenship, increases environmental awareness, and enables people to be part of a bigger picture.
Statistics show that the number one cause of marine litter is litter dropped in towns and cities. This is why the Big Beach Clean will once more be open to all residents of Ireland, no matter how far from the coast they are based, thanks to the involvement of the National Spring Clean Programme.
Getting involved in the Big Beach Clean is a way for residents of non-coastal counties to help prevent litter entering our waterways and seas by holding a clean-up, no matter where they are in the country, and tackling the problem at source.
Cully and Sully is supporting the initiative again this year, by providing registered volunteers with the Big Beach Clean kits.
“Cully & Sully are proud to be partners with the Big Beach Clean again for 2021," said Cullen Allen (Cully ). "The work carried out by the teams across the island of Ireland is amazing, and unfortunately very much needed during these times. We all use our local beaches and have spent time on many of the beautiful beaches and waterways across Ireland and are so thankful for the work that the groups and organisations do.
“Highlighting the importance of taking your rubbish home with you and encouraging everyone to do their part really is critical in the world we are living in. We would urge everyone to get out during the Big Beach Clean 2021. Why not get together with your family, friends, work colleagues, or even your classmates, and make a fun day of it while also helping this amazing initiative. We need to maintain our clean beaches and waterways and protect them for future generations.”
For more information and to volunteer visit cleancoasts.org/our-initiatives/big-beach-clean
