Beach Cleanup for Educators
Why do we do beach cleanups with students?
At PFS we believe that it’s never too early for children to start going to the beach; the younger the better for the sensory learning experience. Beaches are meant to be fun places to explore and enjoy. With many hidden wonders and natural treasures to find, they are great places for children, and in Hong Kong we are so lucky to be surrounded by hundreds of beaches.
We also believe that it’s never too early for children to start caring for our beaches. We would prefer children were going to the beach to experience clean, healthy and unspoilt nature, and to play and enjoy the sand, water and all the natural delights a trip to the beach can bring. But sadly, in this day and age, and especially in Hong Kong, unspoilt beaches are not the norm.
With the PFS beach cleanup programme, we teach children about the good things on the beach whilst showing them how to protect themselves from the not-so-good things. This knowledge and awareness is useful when families are enjoying beach time together as they will be aware of the hazards that are unfortunately present in our marine environment. Knowing what to look out for, from natural hazards such as sharp shells, fish bones, slippery rocks, etc. to man-made items such as broken glass, medical waste and other potentially harmful objects and substances, is important information to learn.
Beach cleanups are opportunities to see first hand how our consumerist lives have lead to an increasing amount of plastic waste ending up in our oceans. Children can connect with items they find (bottle caps, food packaging, drink bottles, straws, etc.) and think about solutions – at a personal, school or community level – to this problem.
Over the years, we have seen many children fearful of nature, including beaches. It is well documented that people protect the things they love, and if they enjoy being in nature, they are more likely to be inspired to look after it. Our goal is to show students not only the problems on our beaches and in our seas but also the reasons why we should all care about and do what we can to protect this oxygen giving, food supplying lifeblood of our planet – our oceans.
What to know before booking a beach cleanup?
PFS runs a combined talk and beach cleanup programme for schools. Learning about the issue first ensures that the students are prepared for their hands-on experience on the beach. They will have a good understanding of the plastic pollution issue as well as knowing ‘why’ they are doing a beach cleanup.
We have found that students get more out of the beach cleanup when they have had an introduction to the issue of plastic pollution.
The talk can be conducted in English or Cantonese, and the beach cleanup is led in English with the possibility for one Cantonese speaker on request. Depending on the beach and the time of year, we recommend up to 50 student participants.
There is no charge for the talk but there is a HK$2,500 service fee for school beach cleanups with up to 50 students.
Educational add-ons for your beach cleanup
To further meet your educational objectives, we can offer the following activities to your beach cleanup:
- Data collection (for research projects and taking action)
- Microplastic sampling (secondary schools)
- Nurdle hunt
- Biodiversity, using the iNaturalist app
- Collect material for art projects
We are happy to discuss options upon enquiry. Please use the booking link above.
There are limited spaces at our monthly Community Beach Cleanups allocated for small groups of students who are working on projects related to plastic pollution. Contact us at [email protected].
Sign up for individuals and families is through Handson Hong Kong.
After the talks and the cleanups, the students know more about plastic pollution and have an increased sense of social responsibility.