On Friday 18th, Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th of July Clean Coasts teamed up with Galway Atlantaquaria and Soul Moves yoga at Grattan beach, to deliver a relaxing three days of yoga and Think Before You Flush talks/beach cleans. The event encouraged people to cultivate responsible flushing behaviors and to pledge their commitment to the campaign. This initiative aims to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of flushing sanitary products and other damaging items down the toilet and to promote responsible waste management practices.
The Think Before You Flush campaign, operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Uisce Éireann, emphasises the importance of appropriate flushing behaviour and disposal of items including wipes and other sanitary products in the bin, even if they are labelled as flushable. Only the 3 Ps, pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet. When items such as wet wipes are flushed down the toilet, they can cause serious blockages in sewage systems, causing sewage overflows and ultimately polluting our coastal waters and beaches.
The team also discussed the Think Before You Pour campaign that looks at the issue of pouring fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from cooking down the kitchen sink. Instead of flowing freely, FOG’s cool and harden as they travel along the wastewater network. When FOGs combine with sewage related litter such as wipes, hair and dental floss fatbergs can form. Uisce Éireann clears thousands of blockages, including fatbergs, from the wastewater network every year. The Think Before Pour campaign urges everyone to avoid washing FOGs down the kitchen drain and, instead, dispose of them in the bin once cool.
Organised by Galway Atlantaquaria and funded by the Clean Coasts Grant Scheme 2025, these events were held at Grattan Beach, Salthill, delivering three wonderful yoga classes by the sea. The classes took place on the 18th, 19th and 20th of July. These classes offered people of all ages the opportunity to enjoy, protect, and appreciate the health benefits of our ocean through the Clean Coasts TBYF and TBYP ethos.
Garry Kendellen, of Galway Atlantaquaria, said, “Over many years, Clean Coast has supported us to run some wonderful experiences on the shore, and these yoga classes are brilliant as they showcase the value of Blue Spaces, and the benefits of the sea for our health.”
The Soul Moves team said, “Yo!Fit is a yoga-inspired fitness class that is the perfect blend of yoga postures, energising strength exercises, and playful HIIT sequences, suitable for all ages and levels. We are delighted to be involved in these events to help people connect to themselves and their community by the sea.”
Speaking about the day Ollie O’ Flaherty from Clean Coasts said: These events offer a great opportunity to engage with the wider public here in Galway City to showcase the importance of the TBYF and TBYP campaigns and how it effects all our lives. The message is simple – only flush the 3 Ps (pee, poo, and paper) down the toilet. Everything else belongs in the bin. Through collaboration, we can support better flushing behaviour and deliver a tangible positive impact on our natural environment.’’