Three Pieces of Plastic campaign ends with beach cleans

By Richard MacNee

We think the best things come in threes. So it made sense for three organisations all interested in removing plastic from our Island to get together for an initiative during September.

I set up 3 Pieces of Plastic in January this year and have been picking up at least that every day since.

I have joined up with the guys from Beach Buddies and A Life Less Plastic and this month we launched #TheBestThingsComeInThrees

Since 9th September, members of the three organisations have picked up three pieces of carelessly discarded plastic every day and binned or recycled it.

It could not be simpler for the whole family to join in. You can pick up plastic from the beach, sea, woods, glen, countryside or even your street. Remember every little helps.

Feel free to post your pictures online on the Twitter, Facebook or Instagram of any of the organisations, adding the hashtag #3pop.

This Sunday (30th September) marks the end of the campaign and we will join together for three beach cleans organised by Beach Buddies and finish off with a plastic-free picnic.

The beach cleans start at 10.30am and finish no later than 12 noon. They will happen at:

•  Castletown (Hango Hill - car park with the orange Beach Buddies bin)
•  Langness (main car park out towards the Lighthouse)
•  Ballaugh (car park on the beach)

Equipment - gloves, bags and litter-pickers – will be provided by the charity. Participants are advised to wear sturdy footwear and must wear gloves when they start their 'clean'.

Families, children and well behaved dogs on leads always welcome.

Although it spoils our sequence of threes, we are delighted to have the support of UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man to help promote the initiative and do its bit collecting plastic, too.

So staff at DEFA, where the Biosphere project is based, have been sharing their plastic finds with us before ensuring they are properly disposed of.

Maybe the best things really come in fours?