What is the I Clean My Sea Association?
The I Clean My Sea Association is a passionate initiative tackling one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time: plastic pollution in the sea. This project is all about taking action—right now—to save marine environments from drowning in plastic waste. Membership starts from just €1, making it easy for anyone to join the movement. Plus, they offer a FREE mobile app called the I Clean My Sea Sentinel, designed to empower citizens to report and help collect plastics in the sea. It’s a hands-on, tech-savvy approach to cleaning up our waters, combining community effort with innovative tools.
Main Benefits of the I Clean My Sea Project
Why jump on board with I Clean My Sea? Because waiting around for big international summits to fix things isn’t cutting it anymore. The urgency is real, and this association is all about concrete, immediate action. Here’s what makes it stand out:
- Concrete depollution of marine, river, and estuarine environments.
- Innovation through cutting-edge technological tools.
- Mobilization of citizens for collective, sustainable action.
- Membership starting at just €1, making participation accessible.
- Free Sentinel app for geolocated, crowdsourced plastic waste reporting.
Ongoing Projects Making Waves
The association is not just about talk—it’s about action. Two major projects highlight their innovative approach:
- Estuary of Adour (2026): The goal here is to intercept plastic waste before it even reaches the ocean. They’re using an eco-designed boat called The Collector, paired with the Sentinel app to crowdsource geolocated reports. Pretty smart, right?
- Drone4Ocean: This project tests AI drones to detect stranded plastics along the New Aquitaine coast. It’s a high-tech experiment in partnership with the University of Limerick (INTERREG #BluePoint) and Le Cèdre, aiming to boost detection efficiency.
How I Clean My Sea Works
At its core, I Clean My Sea offers integrated marine waste management services tailored for coastal communities. These services break down into two main areas: participatory detection and forecasting, and waste collection. Communities can choose to use these services together or separately, depending on their needs. It’s a flexible, optimized approach to managing floating waste, with the active participation of sea users themselves. This means locals, tourists, fishermen—all hands on deck!
Why Citizen Participation Matters
One of the coolest things about I Clean My Sea is how it gets everyday people involved. The Sentinel app lets users report plastic waste sightings with precise geolocation, turning the whole coastline into a giant, real-time monitoring network. This crowdsourcing approach not only raises awareness but also provides valuable data to guide cleanup efforts. It’s a win-win: citizens feel empowered, and the environment benefits from targeted action.
Project Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 14: Life Below Water – Protecting marine ecosystems by reducing plastic pollution.
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Supporting coastal communities with waste management solutions.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Encouraging sustainable practices and waste reduction.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – Collaborating with universities, local organizations, and citizens.
Recent Media and Community Engagement
The association’s work has caught the attention of various media outlets, with multiple interviews and articles published throughout 2023. From France Bleu Pays Basque to La République des Pyrénées and Media Bask, the message is spreading. These features help amplify the call to action and keep the community informed and engaged. It’s clear that I Clean My Sea is not just a project—it’s a growing movement, inspiring people to take part in reducing plastic pollution, one concrete action at a time.
