This summer, for the fourteenth time, activities of the now traditional campaign “My Sea” (“Mana Jūra”) will take place along the Latvian coastline. Once again, the Green Expedition will set out on its journey (within the LIFE project “Waste as Resources in Latvia – Promoting Regional Sustainability and Circularity by Implementing the Concept of Waste as Resources”), which this year will run from July 12 to August 12. During the month, the expedition participants will cover a route of approximately 500 kilometers along the Latvian coast, from the Estonian to the Lithuanian border. Everyone interested is invited to join this journey to take part in collecting data on marine litter, learn about the coastal nature’s diversity and values, and participate in various campaign activities.
In the very first weeks of the expedition, participants will have the opportunity to explore the diversity of Latvia’s coastal nature together with experienced nature and environmental experts, who will share their knowledge at different points along the route, helping to better understand and appreciate the coastal and marine ecosystems. Researcher Marta Barone, zoologist Vilnis Skuja, and other professionals will join the expedition, providing insights into environmental protection and nature exploration. In addition, “coast days” will be organized, where participants can both relax and take part in various creative and educational activities – learning to cook outdoors, enjoying musical performances, going on excursions, and much more. More detailed information about the expedition’s activities and speakers will be available on the “Mana Jūra” Facebook page.
We invite you to join the expedition to help the team gather data crucial for Latvian environmental policy, witness the diversity of the coast firsthand, meet like-minded people, learn from nature experts, and inspire care for the environment with your presence: manajura.lv/pieteiksanas/
Since 2012, as part of the “Mana Jūra” campaign, marine litter monitoring has been conducted in more than 40 locations along the Latvian coastline. Every summer, Green Expedition participants are trained and involved in these monitoring efforts. In 2024, marine litter monitoring results showed that an average of 334 litter items were found per 100 meters of beach area, with an average of 36 different types of litter per beach. These figures indicate that Latvia still has a long way to go to achieve Good Environmental Status regarding litter pollution, as EU environmental targets stipulate that the number of items per 100 meters of beach should not exceed 20. Evaluating the material composition of the litter, plastic and polymer materials made up 75.9% of the total, followed by paper and cardboard (8.4%), metal (4.8%), and smaller shares of glass and ceramics, food waste, rubber, textiles and clothing, wood, and chemical substances.
The “Mana Jūra” campaign is implemented by the Foundation for Environmental Education in cooperation with municipalities and companies interested in coastal protection. The “Green Expedition” campaign is implemented this year within the framework of the European Union LIFE Programme for Environment and Climate Action 2018–2020 project “Waste as Resources in Latvia – Promoting Regional Sustainability and Circularity by Implementing the Concept of Waste as Resources.”
Mana Jūra:
https://manajura.lv/
https://www.facebook.com/tirajuravieno
https://www.instagram.com/manajuralv/
Foundation for Environmental Education: https://videsfonds.lv/
Contact information:
For campaign inquiries: Jānis Ulme, phone: 22552423
For cooperation and partnerships: ekspedicija@videsfonds.lv
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