Kian Egan encourages the nation to ‘Do Good’ to ‘Feel Good’ this Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week
Research confirms the range of health benefits of ‘doing good’; another reason to get involved in the 300 events and clean-ups taking place this week to protect and celebrate the Irish coastline
1st – 10th June 2018
With support once again from musician and TV presenter Kian Egan, Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week returns from 1st – 10th June. The Week aims to encourage the nation to protect and enjoy our coastline, while celebrating the thousands of volunteers across the island of Ireland who tirelessly work to keep our beaches clean year around.
With extensive research showing that the act of ‘doing good’ or giving back to your community can reduce stress, negative feelings and improve overall health – even helping us live longer [1] [2] [3] [4]– this year’s Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week returns with a ‘Do Good, Feel Good’ message. The campaign will highlight the personal benefits of volunteering, while also reminding the nation of the importance of protecting our coastline for generations to come.
Studies indicate that giving back, or doing something positive for others, can help us to feel fulfilled, energised and more connected to our communities[5]. This is something Coca-Cola, alongside partners An Taisce and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, want to celebrate this summer by creating a wealth of rewarding volunteering opportunities and fun activities, while also reducing the impact of litter on the marine environment.
‘Doing good’ can contribute to greater happiness, with endorphins released into the body following an act of good, activating parts of our brain associated with trust, pleasure and social connection. This happiness increases the chance that we will be altruistic and do good deeds in the future, ultimately creating a positive feedback loop of generosity and joy.[6]
Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week offers this opportunity to ‘Do Good’ and ‘Feel Good’, with 300 events taking place around the country from the 1st – 10th June. With beachside yoga, nature walks, seaweed workshops and family activities, there are many opportunities to celebrate the coastline in addition getting involved in the clean-up events taking place.
Speaking at the launch, musician, TV presenter and avid surfer Kian Egan also said; “I’m thrilled to be continuing with the great work of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week to highlight the power of communities coming together and doing good to protect our beautiful island’s coastlines. As a keen surfer, I have always appreciated the positive physical and mental benefits that living along the Standhill coast has brought both me and my family – so I truly hope that everyone gets involved in the many opportunities to connect with the coast and plays their part in protecting it this week.”
Micheal John O Mahoney, Director, An Taisce Environmental Education Unit said; “Litter and particularly marine litter has a huge long term negative impact on our environment. Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week aims to demonstrate to everybody the importance of protecting our coasts. Furthermore we want to acknowledge the volunteer work of the hundreds of Clean Coasts groups across the country. We hope this Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week will be the most successful yet, with something for everyone.”
Matthieu Seguin, General Manager, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said; “At Coca-Cola HBC, sustainability lies at the heart of our business. We continually strive to minimise our impact on the environment, with ambitious targets to reduce water, energy, waste and packaging.
“We also believe in a world without waste, and our 15 year-long support for the Clean Coast programme plays an important role in that ambition. With the support of our partners An Taisce and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful we are keen to do even more in 2018 to champion responsible behaviour with respect to littering and encourage greater recycling.”
Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week celebrates the huge efforts of the thousands of volunteers across the island. 2017 was a hugely successful year with more than 3,000 volunteers taking part in activities across the island of Ireland and 16 tonnes of waste collected during the week. There are many ways to get involved, from taking personal litter home to helping out at a local beach clean event, or becoming more informed at one of the many educational events held around the country. Information of key events can be found on www.cleancoasts.org.
For more information about Coca-Cola HBC’s sustainability credentials, visit https://ie.coca-colahellenic.com/ .
Join the conversation #CleanCoasts
On Instagram: @CleanCoasts
On Twitter: @CleanCoasts
On Facebook: CleanCoasts
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For PR queries, please contact Eimhear Breen, Edelman:
Email: eimhear.breen@edelman.com
Phone: 01 678 9333 / 087 098 7893
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Notes To Editors
Additional quotes, and information from those involved in Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week 2018:
Psychotherapist and activist NC Britton spoke at the launch of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week; “Research has shown the benefits of time in nature for our health and wellbeing. With our special connection to the coast in Ireland, we are well aware of how good it is to spend time by the sea. Places like the coast give us the chance to not only connect with our environment but also, through practices such as mindfulness, connect with ourselves.”
Flagship Events:
Havin’ a Laugh in Sligo for Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week
As part of Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week activities, a charity comedy night will be hosted at the Stand Bar, Sligo on 7th June at 9 pm in aid of a local Sligo mental health charity Havin’ a Laugh. The charity provides activity vouchers to people in mental health recovery and also runs events year-round promoting life-enhancing activities available in their locality.
Founder of the charity, Blaithin Sweeney, said, “Working on our Havin’ a Laugh project over the last six years, we have observed that people coming through mental health recovery benefit greatly from being part of a community initiative. The act of giving back helps build in layers of self worth and emotional resilience. Being involved in community events can also help re-connect people on a social level and help them meet like-minded good-hearted people in their community.
“We are delighted to engage with this years’ Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week, to spread the ‘Do Good, Feel Good’ message.”
Exploring and Deeping our Connection with Nature – Workshop Hosted by Nicola Winters
Join us at Shelly Banks beach on 2nd June for a free two-house workshop which will be exploring and deepening our connection with nature. This two-hour workshop will playfully explore how humans are a part of nature and will engage the senses through nature connection games; creating and sharing stories informed by the particular setting of Shelly banks, and through practicing the art of communication and deep listening.
The workshop will conclude with a shared picnic and participants are welcome to bring along any food or drink they wish to contribute.
As a human community we often neglect the very real and transformative impact that our
relationship with nature has on our personal and collective development. Whether we engage with
this relationship consciously, or not, we can’t deny that the natural world is ever present and
constantly colouring and shaping our day to day experiences.
For any information please contact Richard Curtin at 01 4002202 or rcurtin@eeu.antaisce.org.
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About Clean Coasts Programme, An Taisce – Environmental Education Unit
Clean Coasts engages communities in the protection of Ireland’s beaches, seas and marine life. The programme is operated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce and is currently funded by the Department of the Housing, Planning & Local Government and Fáilte Ireland. Clean Coasts is made up of two main elements; Clean Coasts Volunteering and the Green Coast Award.
Clean Coasts organises hundreds of beach clean-ups annually mobilising thousands of volunteers, removing considerable quantities of marine litter from our coastline. Clean Coasts has grown over the years and now includes two main national clean-up drives – Coca-Cola Clean Coasts Week and the Big Beach Clean. Our volunteering has expanded to include Corporate Volunteering and the Ocean Hero Awards also. Other aspects include the Green Coast Award, the Love Your Coast Photography competition, the Clean Coasts Roadshow for coastal communities and we are continuing to grow the Clean Coasts programme with the likes of Ocean Talks.
An Taisce is the National Trust for Ireland working to preserve and protect Ireland’s natural and built heritage. The Environmental Education Unit is responsible for developing and operating some of Ireland’s most popular and successful environmental and sustainability programmes. It is the National Operator for all international environmental education programmes of FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education), including the Blue Flag Award for Beaches and Marinas and Green-Schools, the international environmental education programme in operation across 93% of Irish schools.
The Environmental Education Unit also operates a number of national programmes including: Green Campus, Neat Streets, National Spring Clean (Ireland’s largest anti-litter campaign), Green Home, Green Communities, and the Irish Greening Community Award Programme.
[1]Karren KJ, Frandsen KJ, Smith NL. Volume Five (2005). Mind/body health: The effects of attitudes, emotions and relationships. Pearson
[2] Mental Help. Socialization and Altruistic Acts as Stress Relief. Available at https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/socialization-and-altruistic-acts-as-stress-relief/ [accessed May 2018]
[3] Brown SL, Smith DM, Schulz R, Kabeto MU, Ubel PA, Poulin M, Yi J, Kim C, Lange KM. (2009). Caregiver behaviour is associated with decreased mortality risk. Psychological Science. 20(4), 488-494
[4] Brown SL, Nesse RM, Vinokur AD, Smith DM. (2003). Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it. Results from a prospective study of mortality. Psychological Science. 14(4), 320-327
[5] Mental Health Foundation, Altruism and Wellbeing. Available at https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/a/altruism-and-wellbeing [accessed May 2018]
[6] Project Happiness. 7 Happiness Habits Backed by Science. Available at http://www.projecthappiness.org/science-of-happiness/ [accessed May 2018]