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Concern over the state of the beaches in Fuerteventura was what started the CleanOceanProject project three years ago. Since then, the campaign has held numerous events that encourage groups to meet up and carry out clean-up exercises on the beaches of the island. The original concern was highlighted when the beaches used by surfers and windsurfers on the island were starting to experience a build-up of rubbish, so the founders of the initiave called on the surfers themselves to drive the project forward. In addition to deriving their enjoyment from the ocean, it turned out the surfers were more than happy to put some effort back into keeping their sporting environment clean.

Of course, the rubbish found on beaches these days is typically not just left by beach visitors. The seas themselves wash up all kinds of debris that may have found it's way into the waters perhaps thousands of miles away, so it's not a just case of working to clean up someone else's mess. Also, the activity needs to be ongoing; simply bringing a little rubbish back from the beach after each visit would be all that's needed if everyone did their bit.

The team behind the project are involving other groups apart from just the surfing community. Local schools also take part and they have recruited sponsorship from several retail brands that are keen to be associated with the campaign. Look out for signs of the campaign when you next visit Fuerteventura.