Everyone here at Strandliners sends best wishes and good health to all at these strange and uncertain times.
Another month and we are, little by little, re-engaging with the real world. It seems a degree of safety, distance, alertness will always be with us now, but the hope is that the outdoors and familiar places can still be accessed – but with extra care and awareness.
There have been no Strandliners events since mid-March and there won’t be now until the government states gatherings can begin to happen. As soon as this is the case we will re-start the Dungeness surveys and carry out the long-awaited event to clear the rubbish behind the Fairlight berm. Our surveying and recording event protocol may take on a different format and we will of course stay within government guidelines.
Solo recording of plastic pollution – we can all make a difference.
If you are out walking and see rubbish polluting our streets, paths, beaches, etc, with solo recording apps you can help make every piece you record part of a greater database. Apps can be used on a smart phone, tablet or computer and it would be great to get some reviews on this from you. The links to the most-used apps are in this newsletter (see below) so if you are able to have a go with any of them (or if you already use them) we’d love to hear your comments. This will be helpful in working out the best ones to use in different scenarios. Thank you in advance.
The Story of Plastic
But the big news for June is that Strandliners will be hosting another virtual screening of what has been described as a ground-breaking film – one that could bring about real change. This time the screening is for Strandliners subscribers.
“The Story of Plastic” was premiered at film festivals last year and is now being shown as community virtual screenings. We have booked this for Tuesday 9th June and there are 100 tickets available – for free. The tickets will enable anyone who registers to watch the film on the day and then join in to a Q & A session with Strandliners to discuss what it means to all of us. Please watch the trailers for a taster. It may be an American film but “The Story of Plastic” connects America, Asia and Europe and is relevant globally.
“The Story of Plastic”
Free virtual screening
at your own convenience up to 7pm Tuesday 9th June.
(no sign up needed)
Followed by a video Q & A on the themes in this film,
7pm Tuesday 9th June.
Register here for the film link and the Zoom discussion link. (You can watch as soon as you receive the reply from Strandliners, and if anyone needs help with Zoom, please email and we can help).
About the film
“THE STORY OF PLASTIC takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it.
Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing.”
“THE STORY OF PLASTIC features interviews with experts and activists on the front lines of the fight, revealing the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world, and the global movement that is rising up in response.
With engaging original animation, archival industry footage beginning in the 1930s, and first-person accounts of the unfolding emergency, the film distills a complex problem that is increasingly affecting the planet’s and its residents’ well-being.”
You can watch the trailers here.
Call to Arms – Solo recording & plastic pollution
Want to make a difference when seeing rubbish polluting our streets, paths, beaches? Solo recording apps can help make every piece recorded part of a greater database and therefore have a greater chance to make a difference.
These images are from a Preston photographer documenting gloves and masks thrown on her street.
We are looking at Apps that can be used as solo recording which can help document, track, identify and lead to action on pollution.
The Apps below seem to be the most used and useful, does anyone use any of these? Or any others? If so please let us know your experience – good or not so good. If you want to record pollution when not part of group events, the links below will take you to the app. Do try one out and see how you get on.
Marine Debris Tracker – American, since 2014, Global use, data open to all.
Litterati – American, popular, where does the data go?
Marine Litter Watch – European Environment Agency
Littergram – Data to councils? Tag brands, Not open source?
PlasticPatrol – UK, Waterways , Not open source?
CleanSwell –
OpenLitterMap – Irish & Global, Open source for all to access all data.
Here are some questions to start with:
Can it be used on smart phone, tablet, pc/laptop?
Is it easy to use?
Are many categories of rubbish used? (The more categories the more use the app could be.)
Where does the data go? (Only to the App? If shared, where to?)
How secure is it? How much access does it want to your device?
Would anyone like to contribute to a Strandliners newsletter?
Articles on your own thoughts about marine debris, plastic waste, clean ups and surveys are welcome
– just email Strandliners and let me know.
Do you have any beach found items needing to be identified?