The Little Green Boat on a Vital Mission

Meet the little green boat on a vital mission to clean up the South Hams waterways…

till-the-coast-is-clear
Image: Till the Coast is Clear, Facebook

Skippered by Gary Jolliffe – best described as an ‘environmental entrepreneur’- the boat is part of an intrepid social enterprise set up to tackle the growing problem of marine plastic pollution.

The scheme has been named ‘Till the Coast is Clear’ and works alongside other businesses, organisations and charities in its quest to clean up the South Hams beloved rivers, creeks and estuaries whilst also engaging with local communities and highlighting the impact of plastic waste on our precious oceans.

An estimated 8 million tons of plastic finds its way into the ocean every year and it’s our marine life that continues to feel the brunt of this saddening statistic. ‘Till the Coast is Clear’ joins thousands of worldwide initiatives trying to alleviate the scale of this crisis.

The boat is a specialist vessel called Coast Clear 1 and is adept at reaching remote and difficult locations which, up until now, have been neglected. Once the waste has been collected, it follows a strict zero landfill policy and is either recycled or used for energy generation. Coast Clear 1 also plays a vital role in offering its crew members social interaction and access to the great outdoors during its working trips along more than 100 miles of coastline. It’s been funded by Exeter-based independent recycling specialists, Coastal Recycling.

Till the Coast is Clear idea

Brilliant idea to clear the coast of plastic ? #PlasticsAction

Posted by BBC Spotlight on Wednesday, 27 June 2018

 

Following a recent survey, the Marine Conservation Society estimates that ‘on-the-go’ items such as cups, foil wrappers, straws and plastic cutlery account for 20 per cent of all the litter found discarded on British beaches.

In the wake of the success of the BBC’s Blue Planet wildlife documentary series, Sir David Attenborough, having seen first-hand the devastating impact of marine plastic pollution, delivered a ‘powerful rallying call’ for people to unite in a common cause and help protect the planet and its magnificent oceans.

Toad Hall Cottages says ‘hats off’ to all those involved with ‘Till the Coast is Clear’, a fantastic initiative, and we look forward to keeping up with all the latest endeavours of those aboard Coast Clear 1.