Leave Only Footprints

Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch are taking steps to become greener resorts. With an award-winning reputation and a world-class vision for the future, we want to be at the forefront of sustainable and eco-friendly tourism.

We have created the Leave Only Footprints campaign which has been set up along Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch’s breathtaking coastline…

Leave Only Footprints is more than just a name - it's a process of continuous improvement with an aim to encourage residents, visitors and workers to be more environmentally conscious, particularly in relation to waste disposal.

Each year, Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch welcomes 11.2m visitors to the UK's best beaches, and spends £1/2m a year keeping them clean.  We collect around 2000 tons of waste per year from the seafront and use three beach tractors, surf rakes and other tractor mounted kit, plus staff members who litter pick to help keep our sand golden and litter-free.

Litter that gets left behind can have a harmful effect on coastal wildlife, sadly these creatures have little way of defending themselves from its impacts. Therefore, by making sure we responsibly dispose of waste we can help to protect them.

As well as helping with clear and simple messages about how to dispose of your rubbish, there are lots of other elements to the Leave Only Footprints campaign. You can get discounts on reusable cups in the cafes and kiosks along the seafront, the Refill Dorset scheme is in operation and there are lots of activities to get involved in.

Companies wanting to get involved and organise a 'litter pick' to help their local environment, can use our handy beach clean application form.

For anyone interested in regularly litter picking independently in the area as a family or solo, the community based litter pick group Dorset Devils offer information, advice and equipment hire.  To join visit their website dorsetdevils.org.

So, please enjoy our beaches and help keep them fabulous by clearing up at the end of the day, putting rubbish in the correct labelled bins provided - red for general waste and green for recycling.

To keep up to date with our campaign journey please follow us on our social media platforms. You can also share with us how you’ve been looking after our coastline with the hashtag #leaveonlyfootprints

Leave Only Footprints Top tips:-

• Before you pack up and go home – have a quick check around the beach to make sure you’ve picked up everything you bought with you to the beach – don’t forget that plastic toys left on the sand end up in the sea – break up into micro plastic and get mistaken for food by marine life and sea birds.
• Always carry your own reusable water bottle and cup.  There are plenty of refill points (taps!) of lovely fresh drinking water all along the Bournemouth beachfront.  Bring your own re-usable drinking bottles – save our sea life and save money too!
• Bring your own re-useable food containers, cutlery and even ashtrays if you’re a smoker!  Trillions of cigarette butts are thrown into the environment every year, where they leach nicotine and heavy metals before turning into microplastic pollution.
• If beach bins are full – take your rubbish home and dispose of it safely.  Help our key workers by taking excess rubbish home.

‍