About us
The Adopt a Spot Scheme, (AASS) aims to prevent marine debris entering the ocean through regular collections & removal of waste at self designated areas.
Kuleana / kule.ana /
Hawaiian term meaning Privilege/Responsibility
A reciprocal relationship whereby the privilege to use the ocean results in a responsibility to care for it.
Our Mission
The adopt a spot scheme is a community based volunteer run program that focuses on minimising marine debris through regular collections & removal of waste at self designated areas.
Founded in March 2017 at a Clean Up Australia Day event, Chris Lemar decided a more strategic, less tokenistic approach was needed to preserve the coast by inviting volunteers to adopt and clean a section of coast on a regular basis.
Widely embraced by the community, the scheme decided to expand to involve all areas including schools, parks and waterways.
Carly Lynch coined Adopt a Spot and designed three founding pillars to guide the scheme in its ambition to support the debris collections with data capture, education and sustainable practices.
How we work
Volunteers collect and remove rubbish from a self-nominated spot before reporting findings and key measurables with photographic evidence to support.
Data:
(including waste counts, timestamps, location & volunteer time), is collated and shared with local council and state government in order to facilitate change.
Education:
In order to turn the tide on plastic pollution, AASS also offers community and school presentations that centre around sustainable practices and the importance of moving toward a circular economy. These presentations are tailored to age, location, and learning objectives to ensure relevance and impact.
Sustainable Practices:
The scheme supports sustainable consumer purchases and practices including support of local environmentally minded businesses.