The Marine Conservation Society is the UK’s leading marine charity. We work to ensure our seas are healthy, pollution free and protected.
Our seas are under immense pressure: too many fish are being taken out, too much rubbish is being thrown in and too little is being done to protect our precious wildlife. Our vision is for seas full of life where nature flourishes and people thrive.
On UK beaches levels of litter have doubled in the past 20 years
Litter has increased by 135% since 1994, with plastics increasing by a staggering 180%
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We’d like to say a super-massive “thank you” to everyone who got out on to a beach over the weekend to take part in the Great British Beach Clean. Your support is amazing and not only leaves the beaches cleaner but provides us with the data to push for change.
Customers will no longer be able to pop loose fruit and veg into plastic bags or pick up a 5p single use carrier bag at Waitrose from spring 2019. The supermarket says the move will save 134 million plastic bags - the equivalent of 500 tonnes of plastic a year.
The MCS annual nationwide beach clean event has kicked off with thousands of volunteers expected at over 60 cleans on the first of four days of beach cleans and surveys. It’s hoped at least 10,000 volunteers will attend over 400 cleans around the UK over the weekend. One of the first cleans was at Gosport where a Government minister and members of the HMS Sultan Defence College all took part.
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises public spending for Parliament, evaluates public spending and helps government improve public services says that, while Defra has made “good” progress in preparing to Exit the EU, the department “is now not able to deliver everything it originally intended for a ‘no-deal’ exit.” MCS says that there is now a real danger that some key environmental legislation and policies will be lower on the priority list for the department.
We’ve changed last year’s “wet wipe” monster - which highlighted the dangers of flushing wet wipes - into this year’s “straw” monster to help show why the millions of straws that are given away are causing a massive threat to our oceans. Slurper is currently visiting iconic Edinburgh store, Jenners, who have already started to reduce the number of single use items in their cafes.
Industry leaders say they have been unable to agree a compensation package to bring an end to hostilities over scallops in the English Channel. It follows talks to try and finalise a deal between British and French fishermen in Paris yesterday. Captains of small British boats had voluntarily agreed not to forage in the disputed Baie de Seine until a deal was struck. Whether this voluntary action will remain is unclear. Further talks could take place next week.
You may have heard the term latte levy and wondered what it means- we explain what it’s all about and why it’s such a hot topic.
With Scotland home to 61% of UK seas, and marine conservation and fisheries being devolved matters, plans by the Scottish Government have the potential to contribute greatly to UK marine conservation. Here, MCS Head of Conservation Scotland Calum Duncan welcomes commitments in the Scottish Government’s latest Programme for Government 2018-19…
“What do you think this is?”, is the question I get asked a lot at beach cleans, as the amazing beachwatch volunteers take on the role of detectives, trying to identify the origins of the fragments of litter that they have found in the sand and rocks.
As one of the busiest days in the beach visit calendar approaches, how can we all make sure that this August Bank Holiday is a litter-free one for the UK’s coastline? Planning a single-use plastic free visit to the beach is a start.
There are hundreds of festivals during the summer across the UK. From the big guns like Creamfields and Reading and Leeds to more niche events like Lakefest and Green Man. This year many are trying to reduce their plastic footprint by banning straws or providing re-usable cups. You can do your bit too by planning ahead. We’ve got some tips.
Do you know what you’re buying at the fishmonger? Do you ask the right questions and, more importantly, do you get the right answers? A trip to buy a cod loin or snap up some salmon is a minefield – on both sides of the counter
Well over 1,000 people took part around Wales over the weekend at this year’s Great British Beach Clean, at 60 different beaches spread all around the coast.
Chart-topping country duo, Ward Thomas, will be putting down their guitars and grabbing a pair of litter pickers to help clean up two beaches on the south coast as part of Great British Beach Clean.
A clean-up is being run at Gwithian beach on Saturday 15th September 2018, at 12:30pm, and the Marine Conservation Society says volunteers are needed to help clean and take part.
The SCRAPbook project has been mapping the extent of litter around the Scottish coastline, today is launching a map to display the aerial photography captured.
Environmentalists celebrate the mass participation to what was dubbed the ‘plastic-tax consultation’ in the largest response to a call for evidence in the Treasury’s history. Over 220 organisations and 400,000 citizens have responded to the Treasury’s call for evidence on the introduction of tax or charges on single use (throwaway) plastic items. The Treasury has released today its analyses of the responses and the evidence received.
Marine Conservation Society seeks hundreds of volunteers for its 25th annual clean-up
We’d like to say a super-massive “thank you” to everyone who got out on to a beach over the weekend to take part in the Great British Beach Clean. Your support is amazing and not only leaves the beaches cleaner but provides us with the data to push for change.
Customers will no longer be able to pop loose fruit and veg into plastic bags or pick up a 5p single use carrier bag at Waitrose from spring 2019. The supermarket says the move will save 134 million plastic bags - the equivalent of 500 tonnes of plastic a year.
The MCS annual nationwide beach clean event has kicked off with thousands of volunteers expected at over 60 cleans on the first of four days of beach cleans and surveys. It’s hoped at least 10,000 volunteers will attend over 400 cleans around the UK over the weekend. One of the first cleans was at Gosport where a Government minister and members of the HMS Sultan Defence College all took part.
A report by the National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises public spending for Parliament, evaluates public spending and helps government improve public services says that, while Defra has made “good” progress in preparing to Exit the EU, the department “is now not able to deliver everything it originally intended for a ‘no-deal’ exit.” MCS says that there is now a real danger that some key environmental legislation and policies will be lower on the priority list for the department.
You may have heard the term latte levy and wondered what it means- we explain what it’s all about and why it’s such a hot topic.
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