Tackling the issue of waste and involving tourists in the process

Waste

Mausund

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Mausund is located at the heart of marine currents, which drag much waste that ends stuck on the islands. Therefore, Mausund faces two challenges: collecting and managing the waste (1,500 m 3 were picked up by Mausund Feltstasjon in 2021) and raising awareness of tourists without discouraging them from coming because of marine litter. Nevertheless, Mausund is slowly being placed on the map, and as more people learn about its ongoing clean-up work, more travellers want to be involved.

What is the project?

Implementing workshops that allow visitors to help clear Mausund of waste and teach them about the impacts of marine litter.

Project: Tackling waste and involving tourists in the process

Place: Mausund, Norway

Thematic: Landscapes

Partners:

Mausund – Eider As Mausund Feltstasjon

What ARE the objectiveS?

Visitors are taught through a positive approach about the root of the problem, understand how it happens, and how important it is to reduce the effects of plastic waste by collecting it.
Helping visitors engage and actively participate in the cleaning-up process by knowing the result of what they are doing.
Having visitors experience the work of Mausund Feltstasjon, people can feel more concerned about plastic waste and marine litter.

How?

Visitors can discover the work led by Mausund Feltstasjon. To get a sense of this experience, the project partners participated in the cleaning process during the workshop.
Presenting it positively: starting a boat tour around the archipelago to let people know how beautiful it can be when it’s free of waste.
Explaining why and how marine litter arrives in the area by showing models and animations picturing the movement of discarded items carried by sea currents.
Providing the visitors with bags to collect waste.

POSITIVE IMPACTS

Visitors are sensitized through a positive approach, and they learn about the origin of the problem, understand how it happens, and why it is crucial to reduce the effects of plastic waste.
Visitors actively participate without feeling intrigued, suspicious or put off by the sight of plastic waste.
This approach has a much more significant impact than reading panels and is, therefore, more efficient in raising awareness about these issues while giving a unique holiday experience to visitors.