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According to the Oxygen Foundation, the seas, beaches and coasts have received and continue to receive a multitude of waste over the years, both in variety and quantity, which is causing the degradation of their waters and coasts, as well as the flora and fauna that inhabit them. For this reason, saltwater ecosystems are one of the most degraded natural environments in Spain, and their conservation and improvement are a priority.

The entity itself considers information and awareness work essential to deal with this problem. Along these lines, “La Mar de Limpio” is an environmental education campaign that aims to raise awareness among tourists and local citizens about the importance of caring for and protecting the coastline and the ocean. Thus, the environmental awareness and awareness of professionals linked to the marine environment, as well as residents and tourists, together with the corresponding environmental volunteer work of cleaning up rubbish and eliminating exotic species on beaches and coastal areas, has been the backbone of this citizen participation project. The ultimate goal, according to the Oxygen Foundation, is to contribute to the improvement, in a direct and tangible way, of the state and social perception of the conservation of marine and coastal nature on the beaches of northern Spain.

The general objective of the project has been to promote citizen participation as the best tool for the protection of beaches and coasts and for the fight against marine debris.

The specific objectives were as follows:

• Promote actions to remove marine waste and clean up beaches with volunteers.
• Promote the importance of educating oneself in respect for the environment that surrounds us, such as beaches, and raise awareness of the importance of keeping the coastline clean of waste.
• To strengthen the emotional bonds between people and nature, highlighting the natural heritage of our coastal areas.

• Training, communication and awareness-raising actions on the coast, which have had the participation of 5,855 people in total:

Firstly, an environmental information point has been installed at the entrance of each beach selected for the campaign in order to raise awareness among the general public about the importance of conserving and protecting the Spanish seas and coastlines. The beaches where the actions have been carried out are located in the Autonomous Communities of Cantabria, Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country, the Principality of Asturias and the Region of Murcia.

An environmental awareness area has been installed at each environmental information point with an educational exhibition to raise awareness of the problem of waste in the marine environment, its origin, current situation, impacts, different alternatives and good practices to reduce the use of plastics.

Likewise, both in the information stands and in the environmental awareness areas and along the beach, the volunteers have distributed leaflets in which they indicate good habits to minimise the human impact on seas, coasts and beaches. In addition, the entity has designed surveys to collect information related to the public’s perception of this problem.

Free environmental education workshops have been organized for children focused on raising awareness of the importance of conserving the environment.

Realization of 5 environmental interpretation routes focused on an adult audience in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country.

Social media posts and sending mailing.

• Location and removal of waste, cleaning of beaches and corners of the coast by volunteers from associations, groups and schools, trained and sensitized by the entity. In total, 075 volunteers participated over 30 days, which included cleaning and waste collection on several beaches located in the Autonomous Communities of Andalusia and Galicia. Finally, the waste removed was counted , obtaining a large majority of plastic waste (67.6%).
• Celebration of World Oceans Day with the organization of the “Ecofrikis Gala of the Oceans”, in online format, in which 14 micro-talks of 5 minutes each were given, as well as a main presentation entitled “Our ocean, our future”, with the total participation of 1,305 people. In addition, the entity has publicized a virtual photographic exhibition on the marine environment, organized by UNESCO, a children’s and family awareness-raising workshop has also been organized consisting of an experiment on marine currents and their importance for life in the seas and the ocean, and a technical session has been organized focused on an adult audience in order to expand the knowledge about the marine aquatic environment of the attendees.
• Creation, edition and distribution of materials for the purpose of dissemination and publicity of the project: an information leaflet for the campaign, informative posters for each activity, a website and different materials.

The “Clean Sea” project has placed special emphasis on sensitizing and raising awareness among the general population about the environmental problems facing the marine environment and the ocean. According to the entity, the informative days held have served to publicize the natural environment of the beaches and strengthen the affective ties of the participants with the coast and the marine environment, getting to know its problems and values up close. The entity also stresses that all the work carried out has a real utility for conservation and for raising awareness about the marine and coastal environment.

Thus, information points have been set up on 28 beaches in Spain, where brochures and portable ashtrays have been distributed, the general public has been informed and an educational exhibition of environmental awareness has been organised consisting of information panels and photocall posters in the shape of marine animals. Children’s workshops on crafts related to the marine environment were also held. Likewise, 5 environmental interpretation routes have been organized aimed at an adult audience and cleaning and waste collection activities on beaches with the participation of more than 1,000 volunteers and in which more than 9,000 pieces of waste have been collected.

On the other hand, the entity has celebrated the International Oceans Day by organizing a virtual gala, where 15 talks have been given by experts and professionals dedicated to the conservation of the marine environment. Within this activity, an online children’s workshop and a technical session for adults have been held, both available on YouTube freely.