How to organise a Beach Clean
1. Contact your local Clean Coasts Officer for your area. Please find their details enclosed. 2. Decide on a date and time for your beach clean. If your beach is tidal make sure to check the tides for your beach on www.magicseaweed.com. The best time for a beach clean is at low water. 3. Check the weather forecast for the date you have chosen for your beach clean. Always put safety first. 4. Please contact your local authority at least one week before your clean up to organise collection of waste from your beach clean. 5. Tag @cleancoasts on social media or contact your local Clean Coasts officer to advertise your beach clean. 6. Let people know they are welcome to attend even if they only have a small amount of time; any help makes a difference. 7. Make sure to have bin bags and gloves ready for the day. If possible, have additional kit available for anybody who may want to join in or for any latecomers. 8. Take a group photo or picture of collected waste to showcase your amazing work. Clean Coasts would to see the amazing work your doing. 9. At the end of the beach clean, drop rubbish off at the organised collection point. Make sure to thank everyone for all their efforts and ask people to return kit.
Top Tips for newly established groups • It might be useful to write up one or two goals for the year for your group which may include: - Monthly Beach cleans - Take part in the Big Beach Clean in September - Attend Clean Coasts Roadshows - Get involved in Coca Cola Clean Coasts Week in June - Do a #2minutebeachclean when you’re on the beach • Try establish a social media presence; this will help promote your group and cleanups. • As a Clean Coasts group there is the opportunity to apply for a Clean Coasts grant. Grants are available for equipment, signage or specific coastal projects. Your Clean Coasts Officer will contact you once the grant applications open each year. • Local businesses may want to get involved in your beach cleans or even provide refreshments. Why not contact them and see if there is an opportunity for a partnership. • Your group could complete a Marine Litter Survey during September as part of Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean and the Oceans Conservancy’s international Coastal Cleanup. The Marine litter survey form can be found on our website. • Clean Coasts provide beach cleaning equipment to groups during Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week and the Big Beach Clean. So make sure to look out for these campaigns. • Why not get a sea life guide book and become a citizen scientist and start recording any sea creatures or seaweeds you see on the beach. These records can tell us a huge amount about the health of our seas and the animals that call it home.
Clean Coasts staff are always on hand to help with any queries you may have so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Protecting Ireland’s Beaches, Seas & Marine Life www.cleancoasts.org Clean Coasts is operated by An Taisce’s Environmental Educ ation Unit and is [email protected] sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Coca-Cola and Fáilte 01 4002210 Ireland. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01 4002210 Email: [email protected]