Last Saturday the 8th of June Clean Coasts contributed to the first of a three part series of free yoga events taking place in Galway this month. The Think Before You Flush campaign partnered with the Galway Atlantaquaria and Sinéad Mc Kiernan of Move & Breathe to deliver a family friendly yoga session followed by a beach clean and a presentation on water quality and how our activities in our bathrooms and kitchens can impact Irelands marine environment. The next free events in the series take place at Ladies Beach in Salthill on the 15th June at 10am followed by Grattan Beach (Salthill) on the 22nd June at 10am. All are welcome to join!
The Think Before You Flush campaign works with local communities across Ireland and Galway to raise awareness on the issues of flushing unsuitable items down the toilet and highlights the consequences of doing so. These include blockages in our wastewater network and treatment plants, sewage overflows and sewage-related litter ending up on our beaches and in our natural environment. The campaign message is simple. Only flush the 3Ps (pee, poo, and paper) down the toilet – everything else goes in the bin.
While people appreciate the convenience of disposable wet wipes, facial pads, and dental floss many are unaware of the problems associated with these items when inappropriately flushed down the toilet. Research has found that just over one in five adults regularly admit to flushing items that are known to cause blockages and can have detrimental effects on the wastewater network and the marine environment. Unlike toilet paper, which is designed to disintegrate quickly in our pipes and sewage systems, these other items do not break down easily.
Speaking about the event Ollie O’Flaherty from Clean Coasts said: “We are thrilled to offer free yoga sessions with Sinead throughout June at three convenient locations near Galway City. Combining these sessions with our ‘Think Before You Flush’ talks and clean-up events presents a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about the problems caused by improper flushing of waste. Everyone is welcome to join and we hope to see you over the next two weekends.”