story and photos by Scottee Giles –
Earth Day is April 22 and what better way to show some love for the planet than to leave a beach cleaner than you found it? Brentwood Bay has many public beach accesses between Stelly’s Cross Road and Marchant Road and off Sea Drive. Waterview walking trails follow the shoreline, passing several local businesses that offer lunch options. A short 200m forest loop from the end of Josephine Road crosses footbridges and connects with the sea wall path beside Anglers Anchorage marina. To the north, Verdier Park near the ferry terminal is a picturesque spot that has even made its way into a few film sets.
We saw a call for volunteers for a local beach cleanup that was organized by Peninsula Streams and Surfrider Foundation so we signed up the whole family. We brought our own gloves and they efficiently organized all the helping hands including providing bins and bags, tarps for sorting debris, long-handled grabber sticks and crew with trucks to cart away garbage and recycling.
We often walk our local beaches and they seem pretty clean, so we were surprised at how many little things we found once we started looking closely. Bottles, cans, candy wrappers, plastic bags and old rope were top of the list.
If you decide to organize a beach cleanup in your neighbourhood, here are a few tips from the World Ocean Day Organization to get started. Recruiting Help: friends and family will be more likely to join if you discuss the importance of raising awareness about the environment and the positive impacts of building community and protecting wildlife. Set Up: choose a coordinator and set your location, taking into consideration the availability of washrooms and parking. If you’re planning a public event, check in with your Municipality to see if you need a permit. Safety: check the tides in advance, and remind your team to wear gloves and sturdy boots and not to touch anything sharp, such as broken glass, with bare hands. Bring sunscreen, a first aid kit, and reusable water bottles. Wrap Up: determine in advance who will take the debris away and check opening hours of disposal and recycling facilities.
Resources and Volunteer Opportunities:
- For a full Coastal Clean Up planning guide visit: www.worldoceanday.org/resources/ coastal-and-inland-cleanup-guide/
- Peninsula Streams & Shorelines www.peninsulastreams.ca
- Surfrider Foundation www.vancouverisland.surfrider.org
- Saanich Inlet Protection Society www.saanichinletprotection.org
