Julie Dass: How tackling a trash problem brought an island together

"The scuba dive ocean clean-up we did with the cast of Cirque de Soleil was a moment I'll never forget," says Julie. "I thought to myself, how did we end up here?"

Six years ago, Julie and her family swapped the UK for a warmer climate to improve her son's health. They found themselves on Gran Canaria. Grateful for their new life, they wanted a lasting way to give back.

Gran Canaria is an island in the archipelago that forms the southernmost region of Spain. Pre-COVID, the year-round sunshine attracted around 4.5 million holidaymakers a year. But local authorities haven’t developed the strategies needed to manage the waste this influx creates. "The island doesn't have the time or resources to fix the problem. They can't keep up," explains Julie.

"What better way to say thank you than to help?"

It was while on a scuba diving trip that the family witnessed the extent of the underwater plastic problem. An hour later, Oceans4Life was born. Julie's son and co-founder, Nathan chose the name. Julie's daughter, Jessica designed the logo. Now, the charity has expanded to a committee of 10 volunteers. They organise monthly beach cleans (pandemic-permitting) which attract up to 100 litter pickers, from kids through to octogenarians.

Doing the best we can

Despite a hectic schedule fitting the organisation around her job as a physiotherapist, the word stress isn't in Julie's vocabulary. "We don't worry. We're doing the best we can."

This laid-back attitude is key. As Julie puts it, "People come because the cleans are easy-going, fun and make a difference." And it's working. The biggest event to date broke the Guinness World Record for most nationalities at one beach clean, counting volunteers from 67 different countries including Uruguay, Macedonia, and China.

When it comes to bumps in the road, they've had plenty. Julie remembers the very first beach clean, "We brought plastic bags and gloves. We quickly realised that we needed reusable alternatives. It was a learning curve, we were so new."

Now, the team hands out jute potato sacks and woven gloves. And they recycle as much of what's collected as possible. "We're not perfect, but we're constantly improving," Julie admits.

100,000 cigarette butts later

So how does it work? Volunteers nominate untidy beaches. Julie and the team take ‘before’ pictures to drum up support on social media ahead of the event. Most beaches need just one visit. Once the area is clean, the cycle is broken and the trash doesn't come back. "People see a clean beach and take their rubbish home," Julie says. Some, however, are so litter-strewn they need four or five visits to clear.

Among the strangest items found? A kettle, a toaster and even a bike. But the biggest problem is cigarette butts. Volunteers collect 10,000 every hour, using a sieve to separate them from the sand.

"Cigarette butts used to be biodegradable. But nowadays, the filter contains plastic," Julie explains. This means they take 10 years to decompose. "People wouldn't throw their cigarette butts if they knew."

Educate, don't blame

Julie's motto is "Educate, don't blame." And this forms the basis of the Oceans4Life education programme. "We realised if we don't start educating people, we're going to be picking up trash forever." The popular sessions involve teaching children about recycling, then helping them make and decorate a litter picking bag which they use on a clean in their neighbourhood. "The older generation is set in its ways, so let's start with the children," says Julie.

Julie is adamant that we all have the ability to enact change. "Anybody can do it. We all worry about certain issues and think there's nothing we can do to help. But it doesn't take a lot." Julie's pro-tips include using the power of social media and taking things step by step.

When faced with challenges, Julie recommends a smile. She admits that her Spanish isn't perfect. And with every clean-up event needing a permit, insurance, and approval from the local council, she has been tested. But what began as a struggle has resulted in some wonderful positives.

A community united

After a few cleans, the team noticed something strange. The council were sending in their own team of cleaners prior to the event. Undeterred, the Oceans4Life crew still finds plenty to fill their sacks by moving down the beach or combing the car park. The local council has even started providing drinks for thirsty litter pickers. "We just had to show that we weren't there to criticise, but to help," says Julie.

The volunteers, who at first were mostly expats, now number at least half local people. "Every time we do a beach clean the residents come out to help. They're so happy we're doing it." One of the most important aspects of the beach cleans is the sociable atmosphere: the friendships made and connections forged. "We make it fun. I love the community feel. It's very heartwarming."

Change one thing

How can we make a difference to beach and ocean plastic? Julie's advice is practical as ever. "If everyone just changed one thing." Try using your own water bottle for a week. Bring reusable bags to the supermarket. "Don't try and be superhuman, just do what you can," Julie says. Of course, she encourages everyone to attend their local litter picking events. "Selfishly, it's not hard to do because you feel amazing afterwards."

A brighter future

"I love this island so much. If or when we leave, I'd like to think we'd made a difference." And it seems as though this once small project is making some big waves. Beaches that were swamped in rubbish are now pristine and fitted with shiny new bins. This year, the municipality banned smoking on the beach. "The future of the island is brighter," Julie smiles.

Julie's wish for the charity is to keep things fun and family-run. In 2021, she had hopes of organising a week of sponsored beach cleans across the eight islands of the Canarias archipelago. Though that idea was shelved due to COVID, Julie and the team have just hosted their first socially distanced beach clean. “It was lovely. We’d missed the solidarity”, Julie says.

Follow Julie and her team at Oceans4Life.

Photos courtesy of Oceans4Life.