PITCH-IN CANADA
Shoreline Clean Up

This was received from Suzanne Ku, a year ten student at Christmas Island District High School, Christmas Island, The Indian Ocean, Western Australia.

Since 1999, the year ten students have been involved in the Greta Beach Marine Debris Survey.

"This survey is organised to clean up our beach as well as protecting the endangered green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Their survival is threatened due to the amount of litter washed ashore on Greta Beach. The turtles become snared in fishing line, nets or ropes. Some might mistake plastic bags for jellyfish therefore starving from a false feeling of fullness.

The students are divided into five transect groups. Each group collects, sorts and counts the different pieces of debris in their own transect. They are then deposited into different marked bags and weighed. In past years, burning was the only solution to disposing the rubbish. In the latest survey on April 10, 2002, the debris collected was carted out.

Here are the results of our surveys:

Clean Ups Number of Pieces Weight (kg)
May 1999 11,155 251.05
September 1999 10,330 263.65
May 2000 8,039 261
September 2000 22,346 458
June 2001 2,888 73.25
September 2001 3,445 109.8
April 2002 4,818 86.5

Here is what we found:

Material Percent
Plastic 47
Rubber 38
Rope 12
Glass 3
Metal 0

Marine debris is a worldwide environmental issue. It pollutes beaches and surrounding waters, impacts on human's ocean-based activities at the same time endangering wildlife on land and in the sea. There are many ways to help. Start by recycling and throwing rubbish in the bin. The answer lies in each individual. Get involved today!"

Thanks Suzanne! Canadians are also actively involved in helping to clean our shores - lakes, rivers, oceans - and doing their part in keeping the world's water clean and protecting wildlife.

Do you want to participate in a coastal survey? Click here for more information

Do you just want to help by cleaning up a shoreline during national PITCH-IN CANADA Week? Click here

Interested in ordering a video on marine debris and the need to clean up? Click here