Action
Ahoy, me hearties! Head to your local beach and get hunting for trash.
Why
Although it may not be treasure, collecting rubbish and disposing of it properly can save lives. Don’t live near the ocean? Head to a nearby reserve or park.
Detail
Each year more than seven billion tonnes of rubbish enters the sea. Marine debris may be dumped or blown off ships and stationary platforms at sea, but 80% of rubbish found in oceans comes from the land. On its journey to the ocean, rubbish injures and kills wildlife and pollutes the ecosystems that they depend on for food and shelter, and to raise their young. Thousands of animals become trapped in or choke on the rubbish that we throw away. Shiver me timbers! That makes me angry. ARRR!
Top tip: You don’t need to organise a neighbourhood clean-up to get your streets looking their best. Keep a small rubbish bag in your bag and you can collect any litter you find on the way to or from school!
What you'll need
Instructions
- Plan your beach clean up using our Beach Clean up for Animals Guide and read up on Rubbish and the Ocean. Make sure you read the health and safety information in the handout to keep you safe on your adventure.
- Get your group together and head to your chosen beach.
- Clean up rubbish on the beach, snap some pictures of yourselves doing it.
- Sort your rubbish into recycling and waste for the landfill – these can be disposed of in public bins or at home.
Top Tips
- Don’t live near the ocean? Head to a nearby reserve or park.
- Even if you don’t want to organise a beach clean up, you can always make it part of a beach walk or picnic. When you are visiting the beach or any public space, make sure you take any rubbish from the beach and dispose of it correctly – either by taking it home or finding a rubbish bin.
