Schools lead beach clean
THE Marine Conservation Society and Greenpeace joined 25 primary school children on north-west Mull as part of scientific expedition.
Two leading conservation charities have visited the Isle of Mull as part of a scientific voyage around the Scottish coastline looking at the impact of plastic pollution.
Greenpeace scientists are currently sailing around Scotland on board Beluga II to document how the country’s globally important marine life is being affected by the rising tide of plastic rubbish in our oceans.
The voyage will see them investigating impacts on the puffins and gannets of Bass Rock in the east to the basking sharks of Gunna Sound in the Hebrides.
On Monday May 22, Beluga II moored off the Isle of Mull and Greenpeace staff met with a Marine Conservation Society (MCS) team to carry out a clean-up and survey the litter on Kilninian beach, together with three primary schools – Ulva, Lochdonhead and Dervaig – and a representative from the group City to Sea.
Catherine Gemmell, MCS Scotland Conservation Officer, said: ‘ We found more than 30kg of rubbish, made up of a mixture of rope, bottles, caps and other plastic items.
‘Today was a fantastic celebration of working together. It was great to see members of staff from Greenpeace and City to Sea being trained up by some true local Beachwatch experts – the pupils from three schools.’
Catherine Gemmell continues: ‘It was a wonderful team effort, but I’d like to give special mention to an amazingly dedicated Sea Champion volunteer Janie Steele from Oban, who has been busy promoting the Beachwatch project in the area and thanks to her there are now 12 extra beaches now adopted and sending in that all important data to MCS.’
Frank Heweston, Greenpeace campaigner, said: ‘It was fabulous to work with the primary schools during the beach- clean today. Greenpeace looks to encourage and support environmental awareness at as young an age as possible. If Ulva, Lochdonhead and Dervaig schools are anything to go by, there is so much to be hopeful and positive about.’
The MCS runs beach clean and surveys throughout the year, and everyone is welcome to join in. The next Great British Beach Clean will be held from September 15 to 18. Go to see www.mcsuk.org for details.