Monty Halls announced that he is the new face and founder of the new UK citizen science initiative, the Big Blue Bag Initiative.
The new project aims to help marine conservation by gathering information on marine health. The effort is designed to include volunteers from all nations.
Each of the Big Blue Bags contains all the materials necessary to conduct four sampling protocols. These include: microplastic pollution, species biodiversity, water temperature, and coastal debris.
According to Halls:
“This initiative is about inspiring and educating people, especially the younger generation, to become actively involved in tackling marine environmental issues. The Big Blue Bag offers practical and easy-to-follow science that can have an impact on tackling marine and environmental issues that are negatively impacting our rivers, waterways and coastal areas. We’re excited to kick-start this initiative and empower individuals to act and make a difference.”
While Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX and president of the HX Foundation, added:
“One of our foundation’s missions is to support projects that help educate and raise awareness about our vital yet vulnerable ecosystems. Initiatives like the Big Blue Bag are a powerful tool for both education and action – we believe the power lies in getting people hands-on and active. It removes barriers and inspires individuals to make a meaningful impact.”
Additionally, the Chair of the Clean Coast Outer Hebrides charity Janet Marshall said about the project launch in Stornoway:
“We are thrilled to be the first group to receive the Big Blue Bag. Our islands have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and our amazing volunteers work really hard to keep them that way. With the Big Blue Bag, we have accessible tools to discover and share more data about the environmental consequences of plastics coming into our shores, and make an even bigger difference.”
You can find out more information here.
