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SUP litter picks – making a small difference with your stand up paddle board this season.

SUP boards, being the oversize shapes they are, make great workhorses. Able to load up and carry all sorts of gear adventure paddlers will be very aware of how easy it is to carry essentials whilst off on a jaunt. Stand up paddle boards are also great at carrying other things, such as rubbish and clutter you find along waterways. A small difference you can make to the environment, whilst still enjoying your dabbles with a paddle, is by conducting regular SUP litter picks.

Cleaning up your local SUP spot.

As paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts, it’s our responsibility to leave no trace after we’ve been afloat. The environment we SUP in should be left as we find it – ideally pristine. We do appreciate, however, that there’s lots of rubbish that end up in lakes, rivers, canals, streams and oceans. It’s a real problem as most will be aware.

So whilst leaving no trace is one thing removing some of this harmful junk when you paddle at your local each time is a small way to impact your local SUP environment positively.

Cleaning up your local SUP spot is easier than you think. And you still to get a paddle sesh in the bag.

Cleaning up further afield.

Taking things to the next level is heading to different locations and doing the same thing there. Not only will you be enjoying a new SUP spot you’ll also be ridding the area of waste and making it better for others to enjoy.

You may decide to organise a group SUP litter. Getting your mates involved will see more rubbish removed and therefore a greater positive impact.

Disposing of rubbish.

Having built up a bundle of removed trash it’d be pointless to simply bin it. Instead, you’ll need to dispose of the junk properly and in as green a way as possible. Most items these days can be recycled so take your collected rubbish to a recycling centre. Yes, this is additional effort. But if you’ve made the choice to conduct SUP litter picks you need to finish the job properly.

You may also want to consider upcycling any bits you find. Giving a new lease of life to items collected is a great solution.

Once you’ve bagged some rubbish it’s time to take it back to shore and dispose of it responsibly.

Tools of the trade for SUP litter picks.

You’ll potentially need a few additional tools for when you carry out your SUP litter pick. The following will make it easier to collect rubbish and dispose of it.

  • Gloves – a good, robust pair of gloves will help when trying to untangle rubbish from thorny bushes. Also, if the item is sharp then they’ll protect against getting cut.
  • Bags – green, compostable refuse bags – carried on your SUP – can be filled with clutter you collect and used to transport it to recycle centers.
  • Litter grabbers – you may choose to take mechanical litter grabbers with you. This should help when trying to fish rubbish out of deeper water or if it’s lodged in nooks and crannies.
  • Sunglasses – not only do a decent pair of sunnies protect against the sun’s glare they’ll also stop you getting poked in the eye when rooting around for clutter.

If you have any SUP litter picks planned this summer let us know and we can promote through the McConks social media channels

McConks Facebook.

McConks Instagram.

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