Cleanups
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Marine litter: Combining research and action
Since 2018 HZ Green Office is facilitating clean up events at the beaches and harbours in Vlissingen, inspired by Monique Jankowski’s efforts with her organization “Doe Mee, Verlos de Zee!”. HZ Green Office invites everyone to join in the efforts towards a clean and healthy environment in 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. In this way we participate in scientific research to get a better understanding of litter distribution and contribute to efforts to keep the local beaches clean.
Student journalism Janine Vink from Utrecht University wrote an article about the cleanups, which gives a great impression.
In 2019 we monitored marine litter five beach locations in Zeeland and tested different monitoring methods. The outcome of this research in 2019 can be read in this report :USING CITIZEN SCIENCE IN MONITORING PLASTIC DEBRIS ON BEACHES. One year later, HZ Green Office, in collaboration with Delta management and Rijkswaterstaat, is building upon this research. The marine litter that was monitored in 2019 on the 5 locations in the 2019, are again monitored during the World Cleanup Day on 19 Sep 2020.
Commissioned by the municipality of Vlissingen, we are currently monitoring the litter found in De Binnenhaven. For this, cleanups and monitoring activities are organised on a bi-weekly basis. A diverse group of students from different study programmes and with different nationalities as well as citizens are participating in these events. Students can link these activities to HZ Personality.
Join us! (everyone is welcome, students can link the cleanups to HZ Personality/ free credits)
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 Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 12h 't Smoske
8 September: monitoring Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
19 September: cleaning & monitoring on 5 locations during the national cleanup day: 9-13h. Want to join us? contact Lorenzosomai@gmail.com
24 September: cleanup Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
25 September: monitoring Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
8 October: cleanup Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
9 October: monitoring Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
21 October: cleanup Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
22 October: monitoring Binnenhaven Vlissingen, start 10h 't Smoske
-> for HZ students all these activities can be linked to HZ Personality. Interested? just come to the cleanup or contact Lorenzosomai@gmail.com or greenoffice@hz.nl
Doe Mee Verlos de Zee Vlissingen & Convenant Schone Schelde
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.
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 (in Dutch) can be found underneath.
- Verslag overleg 7 jan 2020
- Verslag overleg 5 nov 2019
- Verslag overleg 7 oktober 2019
- Verslag overleg 17 juni 2019
- Verslag overleg 8 april
- Verslag 13 mei 2019
- Verslag 11 maart 2019
- Verslag overleg 11 feb 2019
- Verslag 7 jan 2019
- Verslag overleg 3 dec 2018
These meetings have resulted in a Project Plan: Project plan Concept 7 jan 2020
Doe Mee Verlos de Zee Vlissingen is part of the Convenant Schone Schelde, a collaborative action program initiated by Rijkswaterstaat to decrease the amount of waste in the river Scheldt. The convenant has been signed by 28 parties, amongst which HZ University.
