70-Year-Old Grandma Cleans 52 Beaches In One Year To Help Solve Plastic Pollution
If you think one person can’t make a difference, think again. Meet Pat Smith, a 70-year-old grandmother from Cornwall, UK, who spent an entire year cleaning 52 beaches to combat plastic pollution.
Nicknamed “Action Nan” by BBC Three’s Amazing Humans, Pat took on this incredible mission in 2018 (aged 70) as part of her New Year’s resolution to make her community cleaner and greener. The idea came to her after watching a documentary on plastic pollution.
“Pat always says that people say, ‘Why doesn’t someone do something about that?’” her media liaison, Victoria Carpenter, shared. “And then they realize they are someone, that’s what happened to her.”
Pat didn’t stop at cleaning beaches; instead, she inspired countless others to join her along the way. Volunteers, including her grandchildren, as well as environmental leaders like Martin Dorey, founder of 2 Minute Beach Clean, collaborated with her efforts. Even organizations such as Beach Guardian and Surfers Against Sewage backed her mission.
From Coverack to Blackpool Sands in Devon, UK, Pat tirelessly cleared litter, though at times she was misunderstood. “People don’t understand I’ve been doing this voluntarily. We should all take responsibility for picking up the litter as well as ensuring we don’t drop litter in the first place,” she explained.
Pat’s environmental activism began before her beach cleanups. Back in 2017, she launched The Final Straw Cornwall to phase out plastic straws in her community. Thanks to her efforts, over 600 local companies switched to alternatives.
“I founded the Final Straw to try and raise awareness of the catastrophic damage we are doing to our oceans from our casual consumption of single-use plastics,” Pat shared. “I feel I have a responsibility to my children and grandchildren to do something about it.”
Even now, Pat’s mission continues. Under her initiative as a “Trash Warrior,” she is tackling inland waste, which eventually flows to the ocean. She’s also a Litter Ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy and remains active in promoting initiatives like reducing single-use plastics such as coffee cups and supermarket packaging.
Her work has inspired many. “It’s particularly heartwarming to see young children getting involved and learning about how plastic affects our world, as this gives us all a lot of hope for the future,” Carpenter said.
Pat’s passionate message resonates loud and clear. “A lot of the rubbish I have picked up consists of everyday items. These things are used by all of us and it is shocking to find them polluting our beautiful beaches,” she said. “I’m driven to try and protect our living planet for my children and grandchildren and I will continue to do everything in my power to achieve that.”