Read below to learn about what inspired Craig Webb to start up Plastic Free Seas Worldwide.
Plastic Free Seas Worldwide is an organisation that was created in 2017 by Craig Webb. The group hold beach and sea clean ups all around the world. In an interview with Craig, he said that they’d organised clean ups in the UK, Spain, New Zealand and Thailand. “We have connected and organised beach cleans over zoom in other countries, I like to think we have been an inspiration to others who have started similar beach cleaning groups around the world”.
This group in particular stood out to me because I’ve only been familiar with local community only beach clean ups. Whereas this group still do local work but also have expanded their efforts and outreach worldwide, aiming to help as many environments and communities as possible. The most they’ve managed to collect is over 1000KG in one clean up at a 2019 river clean in Dorset. With some of the items including strange things such as trolleys, tyres and flip flops. Some other strange things that people have found whilst involved are computers, VHS videos and carpets from cruise ships!
PFSW came about after Craig had made a Facebook group event with the beach clean-up being in La Cala, Spain- where more than 20 people attended. “The group grew organically after that point with some beach cleans recently seeing over 200 volunteers”. The largest amount of people that have attended a clean up is over 350 for a joint even on world ocean day in Cabopino Spain and Tuckton, Bournemouth.
What was your inspiration?
His main inspiration is and has always been David Attenborough. “I have admired Sir David Attenborough since i was a little boy and after watching the Blue planet series in 2017, I decided to do my bit and start collecting plastic from the beach”. Craig went on to say how while he was at the beach picking up litter, some people walking by joined in to help. “I got a few funny looks from spectators when I was walking off the beach with bags of plastic waste, I think they thought i was mad, I didn’t care, it felt good helping the ocean and coastline knowing i was trying to make a difference”.
Craig said that he’s always so thankful of those that volunteer and help him out, and that normally he has around 70-80 people. His main messages that he wants people to live by, are that we need to reduce, reuse, recycle, that together we can make a difference. And lastly that there’s NO PLANET B!
If you want to get involved then follow along Plastic Free Seas on Facebook and head along to their next river clean up at Iford Playing Fields on Saturday the 19th of February at 10AM.
“Don’t be wasteful, we live in such a wasteful time, a throwaway culture. Think about everything you buy, consider your purchases. Together we can make a difference”- Craig Webb.
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