A Year to Remember

2020, a year to forget or a year to remember? For us it will be definitely one to remember.

There was so much negative news around the globe this year, some of which really hit home. Nova Scotia may have succeeded in keeping the virus numbers low but other events rocked the hearts of many. We learned we are #NovaScotiaStrong and us Maritimers know how to get back up on our feet.

By the end of August, after losing my job, losing a friend, losing connections and losing touch with the outside world, I realized I needed to get back to making a positive difference.

That's when my family and I started Scotian Shores. I(Angela) started going on beach walks almost everyday, cleaning what I could and my children quickly followed. Other members of our extended family started joining in, then we started to see people from all over Nova Scotia take interest in our mission and join in our bigger organized clean ups. Friends and family purchased our bracelets that funded these clean ups and eventually the news got out about our mission of cleaning the shorelines of Nova Scotia: One pound at a time. We started to attend markets and met other local artists that joined in on the business side of things. Our website became live and things kept going from there.

To date:

1. We have removed over 4200lbs of shoreline debris in 4 months.

2. We have donated over $1000 to other local environmental and ocean loving groups.

3. Our #OceanWarrior group of volunteers is growing everyday. Our reach is expanding to all Nova Scotian shorelines.

4. Our bracelets have been sent worldwide by many of our supporters.

5. We have done two #TrashArt installations. Both were great successes and recieved lots of coverage.

6. We are gaining access to many shorelines and islands that are privately or provincial owned. It's been a common goal that other local Nova Scotians want to see our shorelines cleaned up.

7. Our #CLEANUPALERT list has grown to over 80 eager helpers. Once the Coronavirus pandemic is more under control we are VERY excited to start meeting and get more large scale clean ups going.

So what's in our future? We don't know yet! The future is unpredictable but we have some ideas. We are hoping to see our team keep growing. The more of us that work together on a common goal, the more we will achieve. We are talking to other local companies and organizations, planning for the "2021 Clean Up Tour", and hoping to do some EcoTours this Summer. We are expanding what we carry for eco-friendly, locally made products to keep raising money for these clean ups. We are also expanding where our bracelets are available and hoping to get a store front and home base for the Summer. Ideas for more #TrashArt displays are forming and we want to get a trailer. There is so much to do!

In closing we are going to say thank you once again. All of this is made possible with support from our followers and #EarthWarriors that want to be part of this change. The money raised so far has paid for clean up equipment, donations, awareness campaigns, contracted cleaners, cold weather gear, travel expenses, first aid kits and more. Sometimes we get sad thinking about why Nova Scotia needs this. If we just all disposed of our trash properly our oceans and shorelines would be clean... but they are not... we are not.

We hope someday shoreline debris is a thing of the past but for now, we will keep on keeping on and creating a positive change.

Cheers to 2020. Cheers to silver linings. And cheers to #BeingTheChangeYouWantToSeeInTheWorld.

Peace, Love & Light

Angela

Scotian Shores Team Leader