Lanzarote Limpia, Limpia Lanzarote!

Have you ever been to a beach cleanup? In Lanzarote? With people from around the world? While having the time of your life?

June 12th, 2021, we had the wonderful opportunity to clean La Graciosa’s coasts. More than 100 volunteers traveled with smiles on their faces ready to clean our neighboring island.

Lanzarote Limpia is a wonderful non-profit organization that has carried out numerous cleaning raids in Lanzarote and other neighboring islands in recent years. A loving community of hardworking and kind people, that care about the environment and love to have fun!

Keeping Canary Island's beaches clean is one of the main objectives of the Lanzarote Limpia Association, formerly known as Famara Limpia. It is a non-profit organization that has been carrying out environmental conservation activities for more than seven years.

It was started by a group of people who were tired of seeing contaminated and polluted beaches on the island. Lanzarote Limpia was born because of the lamentable state of Lanzarote’s beaches. It is an association founded by two friends Tobias Heeb and Steff Cerf, who both share the aim of obtaining greater awareness and consequently a modification and eradication of harmful habits towards Lanzarote’s fragile environment. All this, with the collaboration of the volunteers who sign up every Sunday to clean and raise awareness on the island. 

Aduén Morales, who is currently one of the directors of the organization, makes sure that for each activity that is carried out, there is an average of forty people from all over the island and of all nationalities. 

The most massive action took place two years ago under the Risco de Famara, where more than one hundred and fifty volunteers participated in the event. This activity was in collaboration with Lineas Romero, who kindly offers free transport during these types events, during this one, they offered boating transport from the Órzola pier to the Playa del Risco beach. Not only that, but they also had the kindness of offering food and drink to all the volunteers. 

Lanzarote Limpia also collaborates with other sister associations on other islands. On July 19, 2020, we (I include myself as a proud member of Lanzarote Limpia) traveled to the island of Fuerteventura to collaborate with Limpiaventura. It was a fantastic experience and I love the fact of having the possibility of cleaning and discovering new beaches.

Lineas Romero once again offered the transport for the event to take place. I would like to personally thank them… thank you, Lineas Romero!

Lanzarote Limpia has more than demonstrated that they are open to collaborate with everyone. Any person and/or association who want to be part of Lanzarote Limpia’s beautiful madness are welcome. To do so, all they must do is keep an eye on Lanzarote Limpia’s networks (on social media). 

Below is an interview that Lancelot Medios carried out, interviewing Aduén Morales:

“We have done so many cleanings that I couldn't quantify them. Keep in mind that we have also collaborated with the Arrieta and Punta Mujeres party commissions. With these, we have carried out “hiking and cleaning” activities. Per year, at least, we take 12 actions and probably in the last three years, more than thirty a year and increasing. I think the last time we quantified we reached more than 90 activities in the seven years that we have been alive. We have also been actively involved with the annual global initiative, World Cleanup Day. Collaborated in the project "Huella Positiva", "Soy Mamut" together with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. We have been part of the associations promoting the strike against climate change carried out in Lanzarote on September 27, 2019”, explain the organizers. “Our association together with Coup Cleaner Ocean Upcycling Productions, a sister association, has carried out initiatives in Switzerland. And, together with the association SOS Lanzarote - Save Our Shorelines, a cleaning activity has been carried out for 24 hours. In addition to the above, we have held several exhibitions of recycled art, photographic reports of our performances, and talks in individual educational centers on our island”. 

Together with the association SOS Lanzarote - Save Our Shorelines, a cleaning activity has been carried out for 24 hours. In addition to the above, we have held several exhibitions of recycled art, photographic reports of our performances, and talks in individual educational centers on our island”. Together with the association SOS Lanzarote - Save Our Shorelines, a cleaning activity has been carried out for 24 hours. In addition to the above, we have held several exhibitions of recycled art, photographic reports of our performances, and talks in individual educational centers on our island”.

In the coming months, if current circumstances allow it, “we will continue to increase the frequency of raids and we will move between islands collaborating with other associations. In addition to trying to collaborate with the center of the municipality of Tinajo, where migrant minors reside. For the sake of working with them the environmental sensitivity and with the rest of the population the sensitivity towards them. Human beings who have risked their lives to live a better life, beyond the reality of their countries of origin”, he explains.

HOW IT ALL WORKS

Each of the organized activities begins with the presentation of all the volunteers. “For us, it is important that all the volunteers get to know each other to promote communication between them. Socializing is important since the advancement of communications has resulted in us stopping talking to each other”, they point out from the board of directors. “Once the presentation is over, we divide into groups, and they must be made up of people who have met that same day. These groups must have more than four members and under no circumstances should any volunteer travel alone”.

Once they are in groups, “we distribute all the material to carry out the activity: gloves, sacks, goats' legs, buckets, etc. After the above, we divided up and carried out the activity. The bags full of waste are deposited in the deposit that the corresponding City Council has set up for us”, he explains. “Once the 3 hours of activity were over, we collected all the material distributed among all the volunteers and we took the group photo and video. In the latter, we share our battle cry with the rest of the world. On some occasions, some municipalities give us a snack for all the volunteers. We must admit that not all municipalities do. Nor is it the objective of our activity ”.

But not everything is work. “Before leaving, we held a surprise raffle among all the volunteers. The gifts are given by local businesses that participate in this way with our activities. With this, we also promote the businesses of our island”, they say. "After the photographic session and the surprise draw, we all withdraw and contact the competent City Council, for the removal and management of waste."

Although they are not discouraged, they admit that progress is slow if not non-existent. “To be honest, we have observed that over time the beaches continue to be more deteriorated due to the presence of waste. Despite the endless actions carried out by our association and those that have been born over time, the beaches continue to be in a state beyond our control. And that should concern the entire population.

Our theory is that the problem is multi-causal, but all with the same common denominator, the human being. We have completely forgotten that there is no plan b, there is no planet b, that we must change before the consequences of our actions force us to change”, they explain.

THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM

There is no definitive solution, but there are actions that could improve the situation. “It is crucial to carry out aggressive awareness campaigns with the entire general population. During the coronavirus crisis and the lack of tourists, we have seen that the proliferation of waste had little to do with the presence of tourists. Although, we are not going to rule out their involvement in the problem, "they say. “This is why we urgently need campaigns that involve all parties. And, with tourists, they should be informed on the same arrival plane of the sensitivity and severity of the problem. It should be noted that you are visiting an island that is a biosphere reserve, a UNESCO World Geopark, and the land where César Manrique was born. We still have time to change the course of our destiny”.

If you would like to find out more, and hopefully join our Lanzarote Limpia family, please feel free to follow Lanzarote Limpia on all Social Media platforms:

FACEBOOK: Lanzarote Limpia (@lanzarotelimpia)

https://www.facebook.com/limpialanzarote/

INSTAGRAM: @limpialanzarote (Lanzarote Limpia)

https://www.instagram.com/limpialanzarote/

All the details about future events will always be posted. You just need to show up!

Hope to see you at our next event so you can have fun and explore!

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