By Patrick Cross, Think Before You Pour Campaign Officer 

Today, the mantle of ocean stewardship is being adopted by young people across the world, and at home. Let’s take a look at the activities of just such a group from Presentation Secondary School in Tralee, County Kerry. Banner image shows Presentation Secondary students at a sand dune workshop.

Throughout 2025 Abbie Stephenson, Molly O'Connor, Fhariqa Anisha Choudhrui, Kaylee Oriscegolmni (transition year students of Presentation College) have been working on the Wipe Up Tralee Bay project, in collaboration with Tralee Tidy Towns, LAWPRO and Clean Coasts.

The project facilitated a series of educational talks delivered by staff of these organisations discussing marine litter and its impacts, water quality and marine flora and fauna, amongst other topics. The group also completed a litter survey at Cockleshell Beach (near Tralee, which has an ongoing issue with sanitary waste polluting the environment).

These results lead to a project action where the students asked members of their network to switch to using reusable wipes and to urge the local community to do the same. Against a variety of stiff competition the project went on to win the EcoUnesco Young Environmentalist Award 2025, held in Dublin in May.

Projects like Wipe Up Tralee bay are important mechanisms for spreading the good word of Think Before You Flush amongst people that may not have heard the campaign messaging previously, describing the multiple benefits of responsible waste disposal in our homes. Not only do you reduce the chance of creating a costly blockage in your plumbing, you also safeguard the waste water systems the we rely on and help protect the magical fauna and flora of Ireland from pollution.

Project member Abbey Stephenson had this to say:

Our project has shown us that people prefer the sustainable option when they give them a chance and the added benefit is that they are protecting our natives species...the big take away is that small actions in our everyday lives can protect critically endangered species that really need our help to survive.

We couldn't agree more! We would like to extend our congratulations to the project members for winning the prestigious EcoUnesco award and are thankful for their help in highlighting the issue of sanitary waste in Kerry and beyond.