The month of June marked the celebration of Irish environmental programme, Clean Coasts’ 20th anniversary where clear community spirit was exhibited by volunteers with 4,000+ volunteers due to celebrate, the same month as World Ocean Day
A number of inland clean-up events in Tipperary, including locally in Burncourt, Cahir and Clogheen, saw 68 volunteers across the county collect over 400kg of litter. 7 clean-ups were held both on land and by the coast by groups of all sizes, from individuals, to households, community groups, sport groups, Tidy towns, and more to prevent litter pollution at the source to ensure it does not end up in the ocean.
Thursday last, 8th June also marked the global celebration of World Ocean Day, an initiative that highlights the important role the ocean has for our life and the planet.
The significance of community spirit in Clean Coasts volunteers cannot be understated and over the past two decades, groups nationwide have tirelessly worked towards the preservation and conservation of our precious coastlines, reminding us all of the vital role we play in protecting our oceans. For this reason, to mark the milestone of their 20th anniversary, this June Clean Coasts are celebrating all the achievements of community groups and volunteers.
Almost 600 volunteers in Cork collected an impressive 3.5 tonnes of litter at 64 clean-ups. Clean Coasts held a number of public events in the county, including on Cape Clear Island, the Marina for a clean up of River Lee, and volunteers from Kinsale Tidy Towns hosted a beach clean at Dock Beach.
Meanwhile in Waterford, almost 50 volunteers collected nearly 240kg of litter at 8 clean-ups, with Clean Coasts volunteers holding a public event in Clonea Beach for their 20th anniversary on World Ocean Day with the Dungarvan Bay Open Water Swimmers.
Statistics indicate that the leading cause of marine litter is urban littering, making World Ocean Day a valuable opportunity for residents of non-coastal areas to address this issue at its root and prevent litter from entering waterways. The World Ocean Day organisation promotes collective conservation efforts, engaging with organisations across 140 countries. With the theme ‘Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing,’ World Ocean Day 2023 emphasizes the significance of preserving marine resources for the well-being of future generations.
In honour of the international day coinciding with their birth-month, Clean Coasts gifted a number of volunteers who registered for World Ocean Day with free clean-up kits.
There are more events organised by Clean Coasts groups taking place across Ireland throughout the month of June as part of the extended World Ocean Day call to action. You can find them all on Clean Coasts Eventbrite page.
