Caring for our coastlines: Looking back on 2025 beach clean ups
Every year, we’re humbled by what happens when passionate people, good tools, and shared purpose come together. Via our friends at Our Seas Our Future (OSOF), we’re able to help empower communities across Aotearoa to protect the coastlines we all love.
It was a year of impact, community and hope. From March to November, 2,056 participants from 32 groups took part in beach clean-ups across the motu—removing 286.97 kilograms of waste from our shores.
These clean-ups spanned almost every corner of Aotearoa: Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, Waikato, Taranaki, Gisborne, Auckland, and Northland. Schools, businesses, youth leaders, and community groups all stepped forward with sleeves rolled up and hearts in the right place.
Below are just some of the stories that defined this year—stories that remind us why this mahi matters.
Moments that moved us
Turning up in sun, wind, and rain — St Kilda, Dunedin
At St Kilda Beach, 51 student volunteers braved sunshine, wind, and even a sudden downpour—classic Dunedin style. Their determination never wavered. Working together along John Wilson Drive, they collected several bags of waste, sorted recycling, and even rescued a rogue plastic kids’ chair. It was a morning full of laughter, grit, and community spirit.
Learning, acting, and leading — Marian College, Christchurch
Year 10 students combined climate change education with hands-on impact. After completing Christchurch City Council’s Future Proof: Climate Change – Kaitiakitanga programme, they rolled up their sleeves for a clean-up at North New Brighton. Nylon and tangled materials were the most common finds—real evidence of the environmental challenges young people are now learning to tackle head-on.
A corporate team making a difference — ePay NZ
With sunblock, gloves, and plenty of enthusiasm, the ePay team filled bag after bag at Mission Bay. Community members stopped to thank them, offering encouragement that turned an ordinary workday into something meaningful. Their event ended with a wholesome twist: a local cleaner offered to dispose of all collected rubbish—just another reminder of the kindness that lives in our communities.
Little hands, big impact — Meraki Montessori
With tiny backpacks and Ecopack recycled plastic bags in tow, Meraki Montessori children set out to care for their coastline. For these young kaitiaki, the clean-up was more than a trip to the beach. It was a lesson in responsibility, the interconnectedness of nature, and how even the smallest hands can make the biggest difference. Seeds of stewardship were planted that day—seeds that will shape the way this new generation cares for our planet.
A global connection — Aotearoa to Thailand
Youth leader Don Kaewprada led two clean-ups: one in Auckland and one in Thailand. From 5 kilograms collected in New Zealand to a staggering 400 litres in Thailand, Don’s mahi highlighted a global truth—our oceans are connected, and so is our responsibility to protect them. His project tied directly to supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, showing just how far local action can reach.
Your support makes this possible
OSOF has once again acknowledged us as a key partner in this nationwide programme. But really it’s you—our customers—who make this possible. We are deeply grateful to be able to assist OSOF. What begins as a simple bag and a pair of gloves becomes a catalyst for connection, creativity, and care.
Every Ecopack beach clean-up kit represents:
- Cleaner coastlines
- Protected marine life
- Prevention of microplastics
- Habitat restoration
- Hands-on environmental education
- Community empowerment
This year’s clean-up programme wasn’t just about removing rubbish—it was about restoring hope. It showed that despite tough economic times and environmental challenges, communities across Aotearoa still show up, still care, and still choose to protect the places that nourish us.
- To every volunteer, teacher, business team, community group, parent, and child: thank you.
- To OSOF: thank you for your leadership, passion, and commitment.
- And to our Ecobags & Ecopack customers: every purchase you make helps put clean-up kits into the hands of those making real environmental change.
We look forward to another year of action, impact, and kaitiakitanga for our oceans.