Ireland’s East and West Coasts will compete to collect the most marine litter in a simultaneous beach clean this Sunday 2 February.
The Tandem Beach Clean is being organised by Galway City Museum along with Flossie and the Beach Cleaners, an initiative formed by 12-year-old coastal litter crusader Flossie Donnelly who will be no stranger to Afloat.ie readers.
Volunteers will gather at Grattan Beach in Salthill, Galway and Shankill beach in Co Dublin from 1.30pm this Sunday, and both sides will link up virtually at 2.30pm to compare how much rubbish they’ve collected, as well as the highest number of plastic bottles and tin cans.
There will also be a competition for the oldest item picked up along the shore, and a prize for the most unusual find.
Speaking about the event, Flossie said: “We are so excited that Flossie and the Beach Cleaners, Galway City Museum and the Marine Institute will be taking part in the very first ‘virtual beach clean’.
“Month by month the charity will be organising virtual beach cleans around the coast of Ireland until we have a national virtual beach clean. We are delighted that Galway City Museum and the Marine Institute will be joining us for this exciting event. The East meets the West!”
Harriet Dundon, a Marine Institute graduate intern at Galway City Museum, added: “We are becoming more aware of plastic waste in our ocean, and beach cleans are one way we can help make a difference.
“The museum is delighted to be involved in this national event to raise awareness about marine litter and be the first collaborators with Flossie and the Beach Cleaners on the West Coast.”
Galway City Museum hosts the Marine Institute’s exhibition, Sea Science — The Wild Atlantic, the first of its kind in the country, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.
To take part in either beach clean this Sunday, simply turn up on the day — participants will be provided with equipment for rubbish collection and are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
