Marine Life & Conservation
Wallace, the wet wipe monster, heads to East Looe to highlight why ‘flushing’ is bad for bathing
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is bringing its monster made of wet wipes to the Looe Festival of the Sea (Sunday 4th June) to highlight why being a ‘flusher’ in the bathroom rather than a ‘binner’ is bad for the bathing water quality at beaches like East Looe. The charity says that flushing anything but “the 3Ps” – pee, poo and paper – down the loo can lead to blocked drains resulting in pollution on beaches and in the sea.
Three metres tall and eight metres wide, ‘Wallace’ will be on show at East Looe beach as part of the Looe Marine Conservation Group Festival of the Sea. He’ll help the charity explain to the public the financial and environmental cost of putting the wrong stuff down the loo!
MCS says that the number of wet wipes found on UK beaches has increased by almost 700% over the last decade. Wet wipes are commonly used in the bathroom to remove make-up, clean up babies’ bottoms and wipe toilet seats and, once used, are then often popped down the toilet and flushed. And that’s where it all goes wrong!
Water companies are finding that, when flushed, wipes result in blockages because they don’t meet the water industry standard allowing them to be flushed. South West Water says it costs them, and their customers, £4.5million each year to clear around 8,500 blockages in their sewerage network – about 65% of which are caused by wipes and other sanitary products being flushed down the toilet. These blockages can result in localised flooding in people’s homes or gardens and can cause sewers to overflow onto beaches and into the sea. This type of pollution can affect the bathing water quality at beaches like East Looe.
In 2015 East Looe bathing water was classified as ‘Poor’ and signs were displayed advising against bathing. In 2016, with the help of The Looe Bathing Water Quality Partnership involving local organisations and the community working together on initiatives to reduce sewer overflows, introduce better farming practices and anti-pollution campaigns, the bathing water quality had risen to ‘Sufficient’.
MCS Water Quality Programme Manager, Rachel Wyatt, says pollution comes from a variety of sources: “At East Looe the main source of pollution is from farmland with a smaller amount coming from the surrounding town. It’s also affected by sewer overflow pipes which are designed to prevent localised flooding. They allow rainwater and diluted sewage to flow into rivers and the sea, relieving pressure on the sewerage system during periods of high rainfall. Because the pollution comes from a wide range of sources it’s imperative communities work together.”
By taking ‘Wallace’, to East Looe, MCS hopes to raise awareness in the town of the importance of clean bathing waters and how everyone can do their part to reduce pollution. The charity will be asking people to remember that all wet wipes belong in the bin and only the 3Ps – Pee, Poo and Paper – should be flushed down the toilet.
Further information about wet wipes and the problems they cause can be read at www.wetwipesturnnasty.co.uk
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK charity dedicated to protecting our seas, shores and wildlife. Find out more about their work at www.mcsuk.org
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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