Cleanups
Since 2018 HZ Green Office is facilitating clean up events at the beaches in Vlissingen and in and around "De Binnenhaven", inspired by Monique Jankowski’s efforts with her organization “Doe Mee, Verlos de Zee!”. The Green Office invites everyone to join in the efforts towards a clean and healthy environment at and around the University buildings. The Green Office works together with the Municipality of Vlissingen, which is providing materials like trash pickers, bags, and arranges the disposal of the collected trash. To help Rijkwaterstaat to gain an insight into the plastic litter distribution on the coasts of the East and Western Scheldt, integrated monitoring events are carried out in conjunction with the Clean-ups. This is your chance to participate in scientific research, contribute to a better understanding of litter distribution and future efforts to keep the local beaches clean.
Student journalism Janine Vink from Utrecht University found out about our initiative and wrote an article (in Dutch) about the cleanups, which gives a great impression.
The outcome of our first research in 2019, testing different monitoring methods, can be read in this report :USING CITIZEN SCIENCE IN MONITORING PLASTIC DEBRIS ON BEACHES. Currently HZ Green Office, in collaboration with Delta management and Rijkswaterstaat, is building upon this research. The waste that is found on the 5 locations were researched in the 2019 study, are again monitored during the World Cleanup Day on 19 Sep 2020.
Clean-ups and monitoring sessions are organized every other week. To always be up to date about the weekly clean-ups, visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hzgreenoffice/ or visit the HZ Green Office Instagram
You don’t need to bring anything to participate but appropriate clothing. The clean-ups, together with other Green Office activities, are a chance to gain some extra credits for students of the HZ (e.g. linked to HZ Personality/ fcc's) while connecting to new people, participate in an outdoor activity and making a step towards a clean and circular economy.
The whole initiative is based on volunteers, so every volunteer is welcome to join our efforts!
We are excited to welcome you to our clean-up or monitoring sessions!
Upcoming cleanups and monitoring sessions:
7 September (visit minister of education, culture & art: Ingrid van Engelshoven): cleanup, start 12h 't Smoske
8 September: monitoring, start 10h 't Smoske
19 September: cleaning & monitoring on 5 locations during the national cleanup day: 9-13h. Want to join us? contact Lorenzo.somai@hz.nl
24 September: cleanup, start 10h 't Smoske
25 September: monitoring, start 10h 't Smoske
8 October: cleanup, start 10h 't Smoske
9 October: monitoring, start 10h 't Smoske
21 October: cleanup, start 10h 't Smoske
22 October: monitoring, start 10h 't Smoske
-> for HZ students all these activities can be linked to HZ Personality. Interested? just come to the cleanup or contact Lorenzo.somai@hz.nl or greenoffice@hz.nl
Multi-stakeholder initiative clean water Vlissingen
HZ Green Office is part of a multi-stakeholder initiative with the aim to keep the waters in and around Vlissingen clean. Different stakeholders participate in this initiative, such as Waterschap Scheldestromen, gemeente Vlissingen, the fishery ("de Vismijn"), Reclassering, politie, rowing club De Honte, and Doe Mee Verlos de Zee Vlissingen. This initiative is part of the Convenant Schone Schelde, an initiative from Rijkswaterstaat to decrease the amount of waste in the river Scheldt. the convenant has been signed by 28 parties, amongst which HZ University.
These meetings have resulted in a Project Plan: Project plan Concept 7 jan 2020
On a monthly basis, the local stakeholders have come together to discuss strategies and actions taken to minimize the waste on the beaches, de Binnenhaven and in and around the Canal. The minutes of these meetings can be found underneath (the minutes are in Dutch).
Verslag overleg 7 oktober 2019
Samenwerkingsconvenant Schone Schelde
Currently the meetings focusing on
https://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/nieuws/2019/02/samen-werken-aan-een-schone-schelde.aspx
Want be more involved