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We Are Looking For Passionate Volunteers

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Turlin Moor community clean, October 2020

We are looking for passionate volunteers

We have 3 great opportunities open to 3 passionate, environmentally conscious volunteers.

As I’m sure you can appreciate, running a community interest company is just like running any other business, but we do it for the love. 

This brings about a very different working environment. One that’s fun, caring and creative, one where boundaries can be pushed and lasting friendships can be made with like minded people who really do give a… 

If you’d like to be part of something awesome, and have a bit of spare time you can commit to helping your community and the environment, check out the positions we have available below. 

Grants and Funding Lead:

⏰ Not contractual, part time

🌱 Not for profit Community Interest Company

👌 Unpaid, voluntary role

🚀 Home based

🌍 Internet access required

📆 As soon as possible

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and well organised individual to search for and prepare applications for vital grants and funding.

More

Events coordinator:

⏰ Not contractual, part time

🌱 Not for profit Community Interest Company

👌 Unpaid, voluntary role

🚀 Some home based and remote working

🌍 Internet access required

📆 As soon as possible

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and well organised individual to plan and host Oceans to Earth events.

More

Social Media Coordinator:

⏰ Not contractual, part time

🌱 Not for profit Community Interest Company

👌 Unpaid, voluntary role

🚀 Home based

🌍 Internet access required

📆 As soon as possible

About the role

We are looking for an enthusiastic, organised and social media loving individual to maintain and update our various social media accounts, measure success and liaise with other team members.

More

Can't wait to hear from you!

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Borrow Our Litter Picking Equipment

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Borrow our litter picking equipment

We want to provide you with the necessary equipment to host your own litter pick

We’ve shared tips on how to dispose of your beach waste, we’ve also shared tips on how to organise your own litter pick.

If you live within the Bournemouth and Poole area, and want to host your own litter pick but don’t have the necessaries, you can now borrow our litter picking equipment.

If you are outside of this radius, get in touch and we can see how we can help.

The Gear:

  • Adults and kids litter pickers
  • Adults and kids gloves
  • Adults and kids high viz jackets
  • Super cool Beach Clean Bags with straps
  • Bag hoops 
Adult Gear
Adult Gear
Kids Gear
Kids Gear
Borrow Our Litter Picking Equipment
Beach Clean Bags (with carry straps) & Hoops
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All the Gear

Steps to making your litter pick a success:

  1. Choose your location
  2. Seek landowners permission
  3. GET IN TOUCH and we’ll provide you with the equipment
  4. You get your clean on!

It's that easy

All we ask in return is that you promote Oceans to Earth at your clean and give us a mention in any of your socials.

If you would like to use our insurance, please specify this when requesting the kit. Terms apply.

WANT TO BORROW?

GET IN TOUCH HERE

Funded By

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A Really Big Thank You To Parkstone Grammar School!

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Turlin Moor community clean, October 2020

A Really Big Thank You To Parkstone Grammar School!

We want to say a really big thank you to the students at Parkstone Grammar School, for raising a whopping £454.54! We are truly thankful.

Back in June Parkstone Grammar School held a non school uniform day in a bid to raise both awareness, and funds for Oceans to Earth. 

We especially want to thank Katie Parry, Lizzie Sturdy and the schools Environmental Action Team.

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION TEAM

Dubbed ‘the environmental action team’, a group of students have formed their very own eco group, to raise awareness surrounding the environmental issues we face.

The team host educational talks within the school, perform litter picks and also took part in our recent event, Square Encompassed (in plastic).

They were even brave enough to test out our Bin Boot Camp! A resource designed to help you understand your waste habits, and how you can reduce the amount of waste you produce. 

A huge thank you again to you all, you’re genuinely amazing!

parkstone-grammar
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Rainbow rock on the Dorset coastline

Plastic rocks! (plastiglomerate)

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Plastic rocks! 

 (plastiglomerate)
A whole rainbow of bizarre colourful rocks are washing up all along our Dorset coastlines. They might look kind of pretty, or in more muted tones, be almost indistinguishable from the surrounding geology. But are they really just another disturbing example of the plastic crisis close to home?

PLASTIGLOMER…WHAT?

Plastiglomerate was first discovered in 2006 on Kamilo Beach, Hawaii. It was here that Oceanographer, Charles Moore discovered and collected samples of porous volcanic rock filled with molten plastic.

Years later, inspired by the photographs of Charles Moores plastic-rock conglomerates, Dr Patricia Corcoran and Professor Kelly Jazvac decided to visit Kamilo Beach and find out more about the mysterious rocks for themselves.

Kamilo Beach, Hawaii

Kamilo Beach, Hawaii

WHY KAMILO?

Kamilo Beach is well known for the vast array of plastics that wash up there. If you look up Kamilo Beach images on any search engine, you’ll be confronted with page upon page of horrifying pictures of plastic-coated beaches.

Being nearly 12km from the nearest paved road, visitors often camp there overnight and burn detritus on the beach to cook and keep warm. The remoteness and difficult access also makes beach clean-up operations rather tricky.

Hawaii and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Ocean gyres are huge systems of circular ocean currents, formed by both the Earth’s rotation and global wind patterns. There are 5 major ocean gyres, of which the North pacific subtropical gyre is that largest.

As ocean currents move the water around, waste and debris from the surrounding ocean is drawn into the calm centre of the gyre. Ocean gyres encircle vast areas of calm water, where the lack of movement means waste easily accumulates.

The Hawaiian Islands are located within the North Pacific subtropical gyre (aka the Great Pacific Garbage Patch). Ocean currents move in a clockwise direction here (anti-cyclone), depositing detritus along the eastern and south-eastern shorelines of the Hawaiian islands, which includes Kamilo Beach. It has been estimated that up to 90 per cent of the waste that washes up there is plastic!

Ocean Clean-up project estimated that the garbage patch in the North Pacific now covers over 1.6 million square kilometres! 

WHY ARE THEY ON THE BEACH?

When the two Geologists first noticed the plastic rocks in situ on Kamilo Beach, they assumed that it was the result of nearby volcanoes melting beach waste. However, the geologists soon realised that it was actually human action to blame.

The sand and plastic conglomerate the geologists found were the result of deliberate beach fires. The bonfires had melted the plastic detritus onto the sand and through the porous holes of the island’s volcanic rock, creating a kind of polymer amygdale. 

Corcoran and Jazvac took samples away and analysed them. This new discovery was thereon named ‘plastiglomerate’

Fossils of our future

burning plastic 

These strange, plastic rocks form when plastic melts and becomes stuck to hard organic material like stone, sand, shells and coral. Beach fires like those on Kamilo, waste burning (commonplace until fairly recently in the UK) or natural disasters are all causative factors in the formation of plastiglomerate. 

Plastic that melts into the porous holes of rock (vesicles) is also called a plastic amygdale. The long-term fate of plastiglomerate or plastic amygdale is still unknown. Some scientists and geologists believe these will become the fossils of our age. However, others have suggested that given the right conditions, they could become oil once again. Either way though, they definitely shouldn’t be part of the legacy we leave behind! 

THE LIFE OF A PLASTIC ROCK

  • Plastic is burnt
  • Heats melts it into molten plastic goo
  • Molten plastic goo sticks to sand, stones, shells and other plastic pieces on the beach
  • The plastic cools and hardens
  • Organic material is now trapped within the plastic, creating plastiglomerate
  • Plastiglomerate then becomes buried on the beach or is washed out to sea
  • Wave action wears away at the plastiglomerate, smoothing its surface or breaking it down into smaller pieces called ‘Clastic Plastiglomerate’
  • Heavier pieces, containing more stone and less plastic can then sink to the sea bed, lighter pieces will be more buoyant and float, occasionally sinking and resurfacing
  • Some pieces are thrown out by the sea and deposited on the beach at low tide. These plastic rocks will then either be collected by people, be washed back out to sea at high tide, or become buried.
  • These sunken and buried pieces of plastiglomerate could well end up being the fossils of today

 

NOT JUST KAMILO…COMING TO A BEACH NEAR YOU!

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Plastiglomerate may have been discovered and named in Hawaii, but it’s a global occurrence. The images used in this post show examples of some of the plastiglomerate found along our local Dorset coastline. The rocky beaches along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, where washed up plastic was burnt until fairly recently is the perfect place to hunt for these rainbow rocks. Like nurdles, once you spot one, you’ll keep finding more! 

  • Have you found any plastic rocks on the beach?
  • What natural material can you identify in it?
  • Can you identify any of the plastic pieces within it?

References

Newer R, June 2014, Future fossils:plastic stone, The New York Times, Viewed 2 June 2021 <Future Fossils: Plastic Stone – The New York Times (nytimes.com)>

Trinastic J, July 2015, Plastic rock: the new anthropogenic marker in the geologic record, Nature Education, viewed 2 June 2021 <Plastic rock: the new anthropogenic marker in the geologic record | Eyes on Environment | Learn Science at Scitable (nature.com)>

Corcoran P L et al, June 2014, An anthropogenic marker horizon in the future rock record, GSA Today, viewed  2 June 2021. <GSA Today – An anthropogenic marker horizon in the future rock record (geosociety.org)>

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Pooleprint quality

Progress For Plastic Free Poole

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Progress For Plastic Free Poole

progress for Plastic Free Poole

a big thank you

To start, we need to say a big thank you to all the businesses, community groups and individuals who have signed the Plastic Free Pledge, and as a result their respective business or organisation have been awarded a ‘Plastic Free’ title. Businesses become ‘Plastic Free Champions’ and community groups ‘Community Allies’. All of which have committed to the removal of 3 items of single-use plastic from their trade and replaced them with sustainable alternatives, as well as supporting the campaign in anyway they can.

The ‘Plastic Free Communities’ initiative is not about the unrealistic removal of any and all plastic based products or packaging but about reducing our dependancy on it bit by bit, and in the process become aware of eco-friendly alternatives that support a healthier planet for all. 

But it’s not just the environment that benefits from a reduction in single-use plastics. A decrease in single-use means less is being thrown away to become litter, meaning money is saved due to the absence of its removal. Businesses benefit as environmentally concerned customers choose to endorse and do trade with businesses who align with their personal values. This extends to tourism as well. The end goal of the Plastic Free Communities initiative is for Poole and the areas within it, to be awarded the title of Plastic Free, for example Poole would be officially recognised as a plastic free town.  In our opinion this represents a significant pull for tourists who value natural habitats and their conservation.

progress report

Upper Parkstone (Poole)
Champions: 1/6 (17%)
Tops Day Nursery
Allies: 1/20 (5%)
Rotary Club of Parkstone 

Sandbanks (Poole)
Champions: 0/2 (0%)
Allies: 0/5 (0%) 

Hamworthy (Poole)
Champions: 3/6 (50%)
Our Planet Zero Waste
Scented Stars Dorset
Rockley Water sports College
Allies: 3/20 (15%)
Friends of Hamworthy Park
Reconnect Turlin Moor
Muddy Boots Nursery 

Canford Cliffs (Poole)
Champions: 0/5 (0%)
Allies: 0/15 (0%)

Broadstone (Poole)
Champions: 1/6 (17%)
Dorset Hill Jewellery 
Allies: 0/20 (0%)

Poole (Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole)
Champions: 9/42
The Fisherman Cafe
No1 New Street
Samantha Prewett Photography
Tops Day Nurseries
EcoMazing cleaning
Quadrant Safety Ltd
The Tea Room
Rockley Water Sports
Scented Starts Dorset
Allies: 5/90
Port of Poole Marina
Poole Harbour Comissioners
Rockfish Poole Quay
Poole Diving
Reconnect Missional Community


moving forward
There’s still a way to go before being awarded that coveted title of Plastic Free. Some areas are doing better than others in terms of businesses and community groups signed up but that can all change very quickly. Take Sandbanks for example. Just 2 local businesses and 5 community groups are needed to hit its criteria, I’m sure if your reading this you know people eligible within the area – why not suggest they get in touch? Sandbanks has a great image already but imagine if it was known for being plastic free, it would surely set a tone for visitors and locals alike that this is a place where we respect the environment.
So if you live in an area of Poole, run a business or contribute to a community group and want to join the Plastic Free Poole movement then get in touch! We have free resources and toolkits to assist you every step of the way – making the transition to plastic free as easy as 1,2,3. Just use the details below to get in touch.
Email us at: hello@oceanstoearth.com
or message us via Facebook or Instagram
still need convincing?
Don’t just take my word for it, listen to some of Pooles’ Plastic Free Champions and hear first hand how signing the pledge has affected their business for good! Who knows maybe you’ll be on our next video?
Meet the plastic free champions of poole


Become a Plastic Free Champion & receive your free tool kit today by emailing us at:
hello@oceanstoearth.com
or message us via Facebook or Instagram
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C0056.MP4.03_45_03_29.Still001                                                                    
How To Organise A Litter Pick


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How to organise a litter pick            

get organised, stay safe and dispose properly            

So you want to organise a litter pick huh? But you’re not sure where to start? Well we’ve done a few in our time and think we’re pretty good at them, so good in fact that we’ve put together these top tips to get you started on your own.

Litter picks and beach cleans are a great way to spend your free time, it combines the mental and physical benefits of exercise, socialising and the feeling of contributing to something bigger than yourself – the community.

It’s also a really good way to spread awareness of issues. People see us cleaning an area of beach or bay and stop to ask what we are doing, this opens up a conversation that other wise would not have happened. Nothing is quiet as powerful in convincing as showing someone with their own eyes the evidence of pollution. They may even offer to lend a hand or ask when the next clean will be. The influence of community action is powerful and is something we need to utilise for change to happen.

So without further adieu, here are our tips for organising your own litter pick!


get organised            


  • You need a way of organising your litter pick and there are a few ways you can do this.
  • Create a Facebook group. When we host our community cleans we create events and post them to our Oceans To Earth and Plastic Free Poole group, this gets the word out.
  • Create a group chat. If you want to keep things private why not use WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger to start a group chat of litter picking enthusiasts. This way is more like having a group of mates who you meet up with from time to time… except you collect litter and waste (and probably go for a drink after)
  • Once your Facebook or group chat has been set up it’s time to set a date, time and location that everyone is happy with. Take care when deciding the location of your beach clean, ensuring it’s easily accessible and safe to clean.
  • Have a meet up location. Set a time and place to meet so everyone can walk to the litter pick location together.


Health & safety            


  • If you are a registered charity or business and you want to organise a litter pick under that then you must have insurance to do so, it’s vital you consider and check this before organising anything or you may be liable.
  • However if you are providing a date and time where you will be at a location for the purpose of a litter pick and by chance others are present as well, well that’s just coincidence! But there are still some steps you should take to ensure your own safety.
  • Wear hi-vis clothing, this allows you to identify other litter pickers and makes you visible in poor conditions
  • Bring a litter picker, you want to avoid picking up rubbish with your hands, this prevents exposure to nasty chemicals or germs and reduces the risk of cuts.
  • Wear gloves, this again prevents exposure to germs, chemicals and sharp objects
  • Take food and water, keep yourself well nourished and watered. You’re expending more energy than you realise when litter picking and nourishment will keep you alert to any other potential risks such as bad weather or rising tides.


disposal            


  • We’ve actually already covered our 6 tips for waste removal so click BELOW for the final steps in organising your own litter pick


CLICK TO CONTINUE BLOG
6 TIPS ON HOW TO DISPOSE OF BEACH WASTE
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TM clean restart 1                                                                    
Turlin Moor Community Clean


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Turlin Moor community clean, October 2020
Turlin Moor Community Cleans are back in Business!
 
As things are now settling down, we’re hugely excited that the Turlin Moor Community Cleans are back!

TM clean restart 1
 
With lockdown rules  in full swing, we haven’t been able to host or get involved in any group clean up events for a few months now.  We’ve been out in a small group and picked up plenty of litter on walks, but it’s really not the same as the wonderful feeling of achievement you get as a bigger team. And more importantly the sense of accomplishment and wellbeing from doing it as a community.
This is why, we are so pleased that the monthly community cleans in Turlin Moor with Reconnect and Friends of Hamworthy Park can finally restart!
The cleans will be kicking off again from 11am, first Sunday of every month from the beginning of May. The first clean will be focusing on the shoreline and area around Lytchett Bay.
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY BIT…
Litter picking equipment will be provided. This includes clean gloves, bags, bag holders and litter pickers. If you have your own though, please bring along. We also ask that you wear sensible footwear, and bring your own drink (in a reusable bottle). We are unfortunately still unable to provide refreshments at present.
For now, the maximum group size of six will still apply. So while we welcome anyone that wants to get involved, we ask that during the clean-up, you stick to working within your same team of six of or less. 
We are not advocating the wearing of face masks, as from past experience, we know that face coverings often encourage people to touch their faces more. However, this decision is entirely up to you.
11AM, SUNDAY 2ND MAY

tm clean pic
 
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!
Visit our Facebook page for further news on community cleans in Turlin Moor
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IMG_20201206_124126                                                                    
6 Tips On How To Dispose Of Beach Waste


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6 Tips On How To Dispose Of Beach Waste


6 Tips On How To Dispose Of Beach Waste            






all this rubbish and nowhere to go            
“I’ve done a few litter picks in my time, and I know it can be difficult managing what’s been collected. So I thought I’d share some tips about disposing of beach waste”. – Rosie, Co-Founder
you ask, we answer
We love comments and feedback from our community of supporters, it lets us know what you’re interested and concerned about. Recently we’ve had a some comments asking ‘how to dispose of beach waste after a litter pick?’ – a great question. There are a couple issues surrounding disposing of collected waste, so I’ve laid out 6 tips on what to do with rubbish to guide you through the process!
6 tips
  1. For impromptu beach cleans where you’re only planning on collecting small amounts, it’s best to take the rubbish you’ve collected home. Separate out the recyclable items and dispose using your home waste bins.
  2. On larger, organised litter picks, you will need to contact the local council in advance and arrange for collection from an agreed location. They will be happy to help – as long as the location is accessible by vehicle.
  3. Cramming large amounts of rubbish into council bins is not a good idea. It will reduce capacity for other users and could result in further littering or overflowing bins.
  4. Never leave bags of rubbish next to a bin. Although it seems like a good option, it will be classified as fly tipping and could result in a hefty fine.
  5.  If you want to organise your own group litter pick, or set up regular litter picking events and need some help or equipment, get in touch.
  6. You can also collect data from your beach cleans. TIDES (Trash Information and Data for Education and Solutions) is a database set up by Ocean Conservancy that allows volunteers from across to globe to contribute beach cleaning data.
Coastalcleanup - T.I.D.E.S
  • Over 16 million volunteer contributions
  • 97,061 locations across the world.
  • 342,675,198 lbs of litter removed
  • 586,442 miles of beach covered
Access via website: https://www.coastalcleanupdata.org
Access via App Store: ‘Clean Swell’
Beach cleaning? Keep seeing tiny plastic pellets? You need to read our ‘Noxious Nurdle’ report HERE
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Turlin Moor Community Clean                                                                    
Turlin Moor Community Clean


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Turlin Moor Community Clean
Turlin Moor Community Clean

Plastic Pollution on beach
Every first Sunday of the month, rain or shine (or even full-on storm in some instances), we join forces with Reconnect, Friends of Hamworthy Park and St Marys RC Church to host a community clean up around Turlin Moor.
We meet at 11 am next to the Foreland Road Playground, BH16 5AT and we’d love to see you the next the next one. Please dress appropriately for the weather (the ground can get very wet in some areas) and bring a drink (something hot helps this time of the year). Gloves, bags and litter pickers are provided. And for the time being social distancing guidelines must also apply.
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Parkstone Rotary Club Project                                                                    
Parkstone Rotary Club chooses Oceans to Earth as 2021 Charity of the Year


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Parkstone Rotary Club Project
Parkstone Rotary Club chooses Oceans to Earth as their 2021 Charity of the Year

Parkstone Rotary Club chooses Oceans to Earth as 2021 Charity of the Year
Back in October, Oceans to Earth had the opportunity to E-Meet everyone at Parkstone Rotary Club and give a Zoom presentation on our projects and environmental goals for the local area. The Rotary Club is an international but community-minded organisation, with 35,000 clubs worldwide. They help to support, fund and drive forward many important projects that have a real, long-lasting impact on peoples lives.
Oceans to Earth has been chosen as their charity of the year until June 2021, meaning they’ll be helping us out hands on, and raising funds to help us meet our operational costs.
A huge thank you to everyone at Parkstone Rotary Club, we’re super excited to have their support and the opportunity to work with them. Rotary Club membership is open to all, and Parkstone are looking for more people to join their growing team of friendly and community minded individuals. For more information about Rotary Club Parkstone, click here.
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