Hi Flavia,

I'm enjoying it thank you. Looking forward to learning more.

Hi Fairuse,

Thanks for your reply. 

Yes, we definitely have plenty of success stories across our area of operations.

Firstly, we have a free accreditation scheme for businesses that are reducing their reliance on single use plastics and becoming generally more sustainable. We have given out over 45 accreditation certificates so far to businesses that are making sustainable swaps. 

On a smaller scale, we run a plastic free day, as well as Halloween costume and Christmas jumper swap events. So far, we've had over 90,000 people participate in these events worldwide. 

We've also set up a 'borrow bag' scheme, where volunteers make tote bags from fabric destined for landfill. These bags are donated to local shops, where customers can borrow them and bring them back to any participating business. This has taken approximately 100,000 plastic bags out of circulation across the participating towns. 

These are just a few of our many success stories. We have lots of projects that we're really proud of so thanks for giving me an opportunity to shout about them!

Hi Simon, 

Thanks for your comment and for welcoming me so warmly into the community. 

To answer your question, I am from a historic fishing village that was once famous for its oysters. The native oyster populations have been decimated by 95% since then due to overfishing and pollution. The village has since moved on and tourism is now a large contributor to its economy.  The echoes of the oyster town still remain, with old oyster beds peppering the shoreline. This story is similar to countless communities across the Solent and even across the rest of the UK and Europe. Native oysters are 'ecosystem engineers' and help facilitate a lot of the vital natural processes we see across the Solent. We may have moved on from the times where our communities were reliant on oysters, but the precious ecosystems across the region have not, and are suffering without them. 

Moreover, our charity has been contributing, via funding and citizen science, to a number of studies on water quality of our local harbours. Agricultural runoff and combined sewage overflows have been contributing to water pollution. Sewage pollution in particular is a pressing issue across the UK and is at a the forefront of many peoples minds when they think about our harbours, seas and waterways . Adult oysters can filter up to 200L of water a day. This project acts as a way to monitor the effects of restored oyster populations on water quality, raising important conversations about nature based solutions to the pollution issues our communities and wildlife are facing. 

Finally, this project acts as an opportunity for volunteers to get hands on conservation experience. This gives communities, once defined by the native oyster, a chance to be a part of their restoration. Making conservation and positive environmental action accessible is something Final Straw Foundation is very passionate about. 

Its a very long answer but I hope it shows why this project is so important to me and the communities and ecosystems I work for. 

All the best, Hannah.