On World Ocean Day in 2023, we went along to the World Ocean’s Day Beach Clean Up, organised by The 2 Minute Foundation as part of the Ocean Festival held in Bude and locations across the world.

We were so impressed with the concept of cleaning up our planet 2 minutes at a time, that we went along to meet CEO, Nicky Green, in Croyde, North Devon.

Nicky was appointed as CEO in 2022, taking over from Founder, Martin Dorey, and continues to take its followers on a journey to help clean up the planet together – 2 minutes at a time.

Our meeting took place on the beach at the very beautiful Croyde Bay and involved, yes, you’ve guessed it, a beach clean.

Born from a Hashtag

It seemed only fitting to hold our meeting during a beach clean, given that The 2 Minute Foundation began more than a decade ago with a simple hashtag: #2MinuteBeachClean.

As Instagram and Twitter grew in popularity, the idea was simple yet powerful: spend just two minutes picking up litter, snap a photo on your phone, upload it, and tag it with the hashtag. What started as a small campaign quickly snowballed into a social media movement. Today, that single hashtag has been used over 200,000 times.

Looking out across the now-pristine sand, you might think there’s nothing left to pick up – but a closer look tells a different story. Microplastics, or nurdles, are tiny fragments of plastic that have broken down over time. Hundreds, even thousands, of these tiny beads hide in the sand, a reminder that there’s always more work to do.

We spent an hour strolling along the beach, chatting as we went, and picking up litter along the way. By the end, our collection of plastic debris was substantial – much of it destined for the ocean if left behind.

These tiny plastics, or microplastics, are often mistaken for food by fish, seabirds, and other marine creatures. Once ingested, they can work their way up the food chain, eventually reaching humans and reminding us of the far-reaching impact of even the smallest pieces of litter.

Nicky has since moved on to pastures new, but The 2 Minute Foundation continues its journey. We’ll be returning in the coming months to see how the foundation’s mission is evolving and what the next chapter holds.

#2minutelitterpick

The Two Minute Foundation began with the ocean, but their mission quickly extended inland.

All waterways eventually lead to the sea, and there was a growing need to tackle litter before it reached drains and rivers. In fact, 80% of the litter collected on beaches originates from inland sources.

By removing harmful litter from natural habitats and inspiring action through the #2MinuteLitterPick campaign, the foundation has helped shift attitudes across the UK, encouraging more people to take a stand against litter and plastic pollution.

What came next?

The 2 Minute Foundation achieved charity status in 2020 and were on a journey as environmental educators but wanted to create a unique offering to environmental learning.

The 2 Minute Beach School provides environmental teaching right on the beach.

Teaching all things coastal from the tides, geology, and the intrinsic link between plastic and climate change, the sessions are delivered by qualified teachers.

The 2 Minute Foundation supports social and emotional wellbeing and development, providing planet positive actions to help combat anxiety and feeling of helplessness. Children benefit physically and mentally from the non-classroom based environment and time in ‘Blue’ space.

#2minutesofpositivity

We know that getting outdoors and doing something planet positive is fantastic for our well-being. The 2 Minute Foundation’s, #2minutesofpositivity campaign is all around taking 2 minutes for yourself, as well as supporting the planet. Reading a few pages of your favourite book, meditating, whatever brings you that little boost of positivity.

Follow this link to find out more about The 2 Minute Foundation and how you can help

Connect with the 2 Minute Foundation on social media for regular updates.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2minutehq

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2minutehq/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/2minuteHQ

The post The 2 Minute Foundation – cleaning up our planet, 2 minutes at a time appeared first on Fethiye Times.

[8^th June 2023 – Mullion Cove, nr Helston, Cornwall] The world’s seven seas have been cleaned by diving crews around the globe today in an epic move to tackle the ocean waste plastic problem.  

6 UK divers took part in the global underwater clean up in Mullion Cove, Cornwall this morning, marking World Oceans Day. Part of a 40-strong crew of divers around the world, alongside a tribe of volunteer ocean lovers, they went to depths of 15+ meters across 7 time zones.  

Over the course of 24 hours, 50,000 plastic bottles worth of waste were removed from the ocean. In the UK, members of the crew witnessed plastic pollution caused by beach litter – such as plastic water bottles and e-cigarette casings – along with fishing net debris that can be harmful to marine life.  

The worldwide simultaneous deep-sea clean-up is the work of the 100YR CLEAN UP, an initiative that seeks to fund cleaning the planet of waste every year, for the next 100 years, led by Zero Co and The Hidden Sea – a wine company on a mission to remove 1 billion plastic bottles from the ocean by 2023.  

Diving crews were also deployed in the Pacific Ocean (Sydney, Australia), North Atlantic Ocean (Cornwall, UK), Arctic Ocean (Great Slave Lake, Canada), South Atlantic Ocean (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Indian Ocean (RushiKonda beach, India), the Southern Ocean (Chubut, Argentina) and The Red Sea (Hurghada, Egypt, with the goal to remove the equivalent-in-weight of 50,000 single-use plastic water bottles from oceans across the planet. The plastic collected will be sorted, recycled, and repurposed where possible.  

Co-founder of The Hidden Sea, and chief diver in the North Atlantic, Justin Moran said: “We’re on a high because to clean all seven seas is nothing short of epic. But I also know my fellow divers around the world will face similar depressing underwater scenes today. The problem is out of control, we need to get behind efforts to reverse the tide. I hope that sharing what we’ve witnessed in the ocean, will inspire people to join us in taking action. 

“I dived in the beautiful tourist destination of Mullion Cove, Cornwall, and even though the water looked inviting from the surface, it was sad to see what was hiding under the water. It shows how deeply-rooted the plastic problem is.  

“The Hidden Sea’s goal is to take 1 billion plastic bottles out of the ocean by 2030. By helping to drive forward the 100YR CLEAN UP, we hope to inspire people and businesses to support the initiative and, in the end, simply do what matters: help preserve ocean health.” 

Plastic pollution has risen exponentially over the past few decades, with more than 170 trillion plastic particles now estimated to be floating in our seas.  

This epic global stunt by Zero Co and The Hidden Sea, is just one part of their ambition to fund large-scale rubbish cleanups for the next 100 years. Everyone can get involved. Businesses, and the public, are invited to sponsor a bundle of rubbish which the 100YR CLEANUP will collect on your behalf. Head to www.100yrcleanup.com to join the mission.   

About The Hidden Sea  

The Hidden Sea is a wine brand with a clear promise: for every bottle of The Hidden Sea sold, they remove and recycle the equivalent-in-weight of 10 plastic bottles from the ocean. Since July 2020, they’ve removed over 22 million bottles (371,166 kg) and have the audacious goal of removing 1 billion bottles by 2030. 

UK consumers can pick up vegan-friendly wines from The Hidden Sea – including a Sauvignon Blanc, a Rosé, a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, and a Red Blend – from selected Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Booths stores nationwide. 

About Zero Co 

Zero Co is an Australian business on a mission to Untrash the Planet by funding large-scale cleanups and stopping Aussies from using single-use plastic with their refillable products. They founded the 100YR CLEANUP in 2022 and have since been inviting companies from around the world to get involved and co-fund cleanup projects for the next 100 years.

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One of these is the Making Space for Sand (MS4S) project, part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme (FCRIP) funded by Defra. The project aims to find better ways of living with coastal change—encouraging a natural, ecosystem-based approach to managing our shores.

Cornwall’s Ever-Changing Sand Dunes

Cornwall’s sandy dune systems are a striking contrast to the rugged cliffs that dominate much of the county’s coastline. Unlike cliffs, dunes are always shifting—never truly “finished.” The sea can wash parts of them away while also bringing fresh sand to build them up again. At the same time, the wind constantly changes direction and strength, moving sand in unpredictable ways.

Although they cover only about 2% of Cornwall, sand dunes are incredibly important. They act as natural sea defences, helping to absorb the power of waves and protect inland areas from flooding. They are also rich habitats for wildlife, home to rare plants, insects, and birds, as well as being places of cultural history and recreation.

Sharing the Story of the Dunes

To help raise awareness, The 2 Minute Foundation, with support from Making Space for Sand, has produced a series of short films about Cornwall’s dunes. These films explore:

• How dunes are formed
• Why they matter for coastal protection and biodiversity
• The role they play in tackling climate change

With stunning visuals and expert insights, the series highlights the urgent need to restore and protect these fragile ecosystems. Each episode is a reminder that dunes are living landscapes—constantly shaped by the elements, but vulnerable to human impact.

👉 You can watch the full series below.

Making Space for Sand

The 2 Minute Foundation

CoastSnap: Science Powered by People

At the heart of MS4S is CoastSnap, a global community science project. CoastSnap began in 2017 at the University of New South Wales in Australia and has since spread across five continents. The idea is simple: use repeat photographs, taken by the public, to track how coastlines change over time.

Think about it—every day, thousands of people take photos of the beach on their smartphones. CoastSnap turns those everyday snaps into valuable scientific data.

How It Works

As part of MS4S, 23 CoastSnap stations have been installed at key dune beaches around Cornwall. Each station includes:

• A fixed camera cradle for smartphones
• An easy-to-follow instruction sign

Visitors simply place their phone in the cradle, take a photo, and upload it. These photos are then processed and added to a growing image library.

Why It Matters

The photos collected reveal both long-term changes—like dune retreat or advance—and short-term impacts from storm events. By comparing thousands of images, scientists at South West Coastal Monitoring (SWCM) and other partners can track patterns, create storm impact visualisations, and better understand coastal erosion.

But this isn’t just science for scientists. Each person who takes part becomes part of a global network, helping to build resilience and understanding of our ever-changing coastline.

Looking Ahead

Projects like MS4S and CoastSnap show how community action and innovation can come together to tackle climate change. By working with nature, and each other, we can prepare for the challenges ahead—while helping to protect the places we love most.

Take action today:

Snap a photo at your nearest CoastSnap station and join the global community tracking coastlines.

Watch the dune films and learn how to protect these vital ecosystems: Making Space for Sand | The 2 Minute Foundation

By working together, we can ensure Cornwall’s coastlines remain vibrant, resilient, and inspiring for generations to come.

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