Introducing Roy
Roy voluntarily runs Clean Jurassic Coast, beach cleaning a few times every week, he is also an ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy and works for Ocean Recovery Project, based in Exeter. Being an avid sea kayaker, Roy soon realised how bad the single use marine pollution problem is and swiftly took action. Roy has raised over £20,000 for charities under his Kayaking for Charity banner. The planet needs more Roy's!
Beach Clean 1!
We started out at Chesil beach, an 18 mile stretch of leg shagging shingle and pebbles. Forewarned that we would be caught in a storm, things were looking pretty good. In just 2 hours we were able to collectively remove around 25kg's of litter and marine waste. A bulk of our catch was made up from fishing line, which is a pain in the ass as it merges itself with all sorts of stinky ocean bits and pieces, like seaweed and driftwood.
The fact that this beach is 18 miles long, and we cleaned what was less than a quarter mile stretch, really is a wake up call to how just how much single use plastic is washing up on our coastlines.
As litter pickers, we are stronger in numbers. This is why it is worth considering joining a coastal clean-up project like Clean Jurassic Coast or a rebellious fashion brand like Rat Assed to help make a difference! But, there's more benefits than just making a positive impact on the environment...
What can litter picking do for you?
There's a growing body of research (although it's as obvious as the sea is salty) that litter picking has a range of benefits when it comes to looking after your mental and physical health.
For a start, being out in nature helps combat stress and anxiety, litter picking only enhances natures positive affects, placing you into a meditative state, bringing you into the present.
Litter picking is physical and usually includes lots of walking and carrying heavy bags, you can make litter picking as extreme as you like, setting yourself challenges with the opportunity to get a solid workout in, which in turn releases endorphins, natural mood boosters that also help with combatting stress and anxiety.
Doing GOOD feels GOOD, not only are you making the environment a better place for all people and animals alike, you can rest easy knowing you've made a positive difference.
We will explore this topic in more depth in the next Rat Assed News blog post.
Beach Clean 2!
We headed over to Ringstead Bay for the second organised beach clean. There wasn't much of a turn out volunteer wise (who can blame them, with the weather being what it was and half the population hanging out their arses). Only the strong, only the brave can call themselves beach cleaners. We were piss wet in minutes. The beach looked pretty good until the far end, where there was plentiful single use pollution for us bag up. Typical when you have to drag and carry it all the way back. Roy and I even found 2 fishing boat seats that were filled with polystyrene; as a man married to the iron I estimated these to be 10kg each, they were weighed. They were 10kg each. Mad. About. Litter.
Polystyrene sucks and on its own is a real ecological problem. This is due to how easily it breaks down, just handing the stuff can cause it to flake away, soon turning into micro plastic pieces which can then be found wreaking havoc on the environment.
Its a wrap!
Overall single use pollution removed from the environment: 65kg!
A good amount of this will be recycled and repurposed where Roy works at the Ocean Recovery Project.
It was a pleasure to finally meet you Roy, picking your brains on all things pollution and sustainability. Very much looking forward to the next one and hope you like your new Mad About Litter T-Shirt!
PS a big thanks for towing the Rat Assed van out of the mud and the sick monkey fist keychains! Anyone can help support the Clean Jurassic Coast mission by purchasing one of these hand made keychains, the perfect small gift! Thanks for all the hard work you do Roy! Until the next time...
When you are more deliberate in making the choice to purchase from sustainable, rebellious fashion brands like Rat Assed, you are helping to support small independent clean-up organisations, with, at the very least, 10% of profits being donated.
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