The 2 Minute Foundation
Transforming Our Planet, 2 Minutes at a Time | #2MinuteBeachClean
Did you know you can make a difference to the place you love, live, and visit in just 2 minutes?
National charity, The 2 Minute Foundation, born from a hashtag #2MinuteBeachClean in 2013, encourages everyone to clean up the planet, 2 Minutes at a time, and it starts with simply picking up litter!
#2Minutebeachclean was created by seasoned camper and travel writer Martin Dorey and became a social media movement overnight. Tangible clean-up stations were created to help keep beaches clean and litter pick more effectively. They have a bag slot and litter picker box for a complete tool kit that everyone can use.
There are now more than 1,000 clean-up stations across the UK, both along the coastline and inland, in green spaces, towns and national parks and thousands of individuals are doing something planet positive every single day through The 2 Minute Foundation’s simple and effective campaigns now led by Charity Lead, Nicky Green who has been instrumental to the growth of the movement since the start.
“It makes you feel good, you’ve cleaned up your ‘patch’ or ‘pitch’, and you can get on with your day knowing that you have made a difference around you and helped nature thrive, which is the very reason why we go camping – to seek solace in nature.”
Nicky Green - Charity Lead, The 2 Minute Foundation.
Every second breath we take is thanks to the ocean, where phytoplankton photosynthesize, which gives us oxygen. It is also our largest carbon sink, and we all need to protect it. 80% of litter found in the oceans is from in-land waste finding its way to the closest watercourse that eventually leads to the sea through bad weather, it goes down drains and can be blown into a stream, a river, or a canal.
The charity campaigns to pick up litter on the beach and in-land in national parks, green spaces, towns, and cities through their #2MinuteLitterPick campaign. They also deliver environmental learning through beach school, community events, talks, and corporate partnering that focuses on what we can all do today as a collective to mitigate our impact.
The charity has encouraged individuals, communities, and businesses to remove over 400 tonnes of litter from the environment, from beaches to mountain tops across the globe, through the simple act of picking up.
“Our mission is to encourage everyone to clean up our planet, 2 Minutes at a time. Our simple campaigns help people navigate the climate crisis, and even when we are on our travels, we can still take part in simple acts that, when done as a collective, make a difference. Make sure you pack your reusable bag and litter picker when packing for your trip. You’d be surprised at how satisfying it [beach cleaning and litter picking] is once you start and how much litter is hidden amongst hedgerows and grass. Dispose of the litter from your bag in your nearest bin and give yourself a big pat on the back for taking 2 minutes for the planet!”
Nicky Green - Charity Lead, The 2 Minute Foundation.
The charity also provides simple alternatives to single-use plastic, from shampoo bars to coffee cups, and the kit you buy supports their #2Minutesolution campaign.
For litter-picking inspiration, positive eco news, and to be a part of the 2 Minute Community, join them on socials or head over to 2minute.org to learn more about the charity and how you can get involved in their campaigns to make the planet a better place.