Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP today (Saturday 22 April 2023) joined local families on Eastney beach to clean up the beach as part of efforts to protect the local environment and mark Earth Day.
The Big Kids Beach Clean has been set up by Milton Park Primary teacher Sophie Gibbs to encourage local children to think about their local environment and take action to protect the planet. The idea originated by Sophie’s 11 year old daughter, a pupil at Craneswater Junior School in Southsea.
Dozens of local people joined the city MP and Sophie and her family as the city marked Earth Day, cleaning up the beach at Eastney, removing plastic and other waste.
Plastic pollution has increased over the last 30 years and now presents as a global problem that requires collective action to solve. Plastic has become so abundant it is constantly all around us in our homes, schools, workplaces, and even our natural spaces.
Stephen Morgan, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South, said:
“Plastic pollution is one of the most fundamental issues threatening the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems worldwide. Micro-plastics are found everywhere, from mountaintops to the deepest oceans – and even inside our bodies.
Addressing the crisis not only requires our continued efforts here in the UK, but also our leadership around the world to combat this issue. That’s why raising awareness of the problem faced on Earth Day is so important.
It was a real pleasure to join Sophie, her family and other local children to mark Earth Day and continue their brilliant efforts through the Big Kids Beach Clean to protect our planet, tackle plastic pollution and clean up our local beach.
I thank Sophie and volunteers for all they do”.
Currently, only 9% of plastic all plastic consumed is being recycled, with the rest ending up in landfills or the environment. Portsmouth has some of the lowest recycling rates in the country, which is why the city MP is calling on the council to do better.
The Big Kids Beach Clean hosts regular events each term to encourage children and local families to clean up our city’s beaches. Details are posted on their Facebook page.
