PIXIE DRONE
Coastal Cleanups - Take action in your local community by participating in a coastal cleanup near you!
Green Scholars - Our award-winning project-based learning curriculum is built on the foundations of project management, leadership, and sustainability. Students undertake a hands-on project with real-world outcomes that directly benefit schools, districts and/or communities.
Green Scholars - Our award-winning project-based learning curriculum is built on the foundations of project management, leadership, and sustainability. Students undertake a hands-on project with real-world outcomes that directly benefit schools, districts and/or communities.
Join Us In Protecting Our Oceans!
Time: All Cleanups are 9-11 AM EST
Waivers & Registration: To attend a Cleanup, please sign up here which includes the waiver
Weather: If the forecast calls for inclement weather, we will postpone
What to Bring: Appropriate clothes for being on the coast, hat, sunscreen, water, snack, thin gloves optional, hand sanitizer, and a friend or two! We supply everything we’ll need for the cleanups
Questions & Communication: An email will be sent to all registered participants a day or two before the event. Please contact us info@seasidesustainability.org, 978.381.3302
Meeting Points, Parking & Bathrooms: We will send all registrants specific logistics for each location prior to the event. If possible, try and carpool
Understanding Blue Technology in the Marine Environment
What is the Pixie Drone?
The PixieDrone is a floating drone that collects various forms of marine debris and oils, along with data on water pollution. This device can be manual or autonomous with the ability to re-route when it encounters an obstacle. It functions best in areas with calm waters, such as marinas, harbors, or ports, meaning it collects marine debris and cuts off pollution in waterways before it can escape out into the ocean.
Why do we use the Pixie Drone?
Partnering with a community group of both adults and students, sponsored Clean Coast Coalition events can help locals identify strategic locations within the community that would greatly benefit from the drone's operation. We will collaborate with local press to cover the event, emphasizing the PixieDrone's capabilities with live coverage. Organizing a Clean Coast Coalition event with the PixieDrone offers a multifaceted approach to environmental impact, community engagement, and education. The PixieDrone's advanced capabilities include live footage recording and debris filtration, providing real-time insights and contributing significantly to water-based debris cleanup. This presents a unique educational opportunity to shed light on marine debris issues, addressing their sources, causes, and origins. We plan to engage participants in discussions about the impact of single-use plastics, presenting relevant statistics and advocating for sustainable alternatives. By intertwining hands-on PixieDrone operations with Clean Coast Coalition events, we aim to empower ordinary citizens with actionable solutions to reduce debris in their communities and foster a heightened sense of connection to our oceans.
Sea Level Rise
Sea levels are rising due to increasingly warmer annual temperatures causing glaciers and ice caps to melt at faster rates than ever before. Come join the Seaside in our efforts to monitor sea level rise in Cape Ann using marking flags, meter sticks, and spotting scopes. Teaching about sea level rise, storm surge, and the tides, both seasonal tide changes and our extreme king tides, are all part of our mission.
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What's so special about this activity?
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Measuring sea level rise is a fantastic learning exercise to visually understand the effects of environmental changes. Learning about changes in sea level and the impact of storm surges facing our coasts is paramount to the future of our cities. By understanding these changes, we can effectively plan for our future with the necessary criteria in mind.
Microplastics in Sand
Microplastics are plastic materials smaller than 5mm in length and are often not easily visible to the human eye. They have been found in our food, water, and air. The source of microplastic is the breakdown of macroplastics and the nurdles used to create these macroplastic items. Areas with large amounts of microplastics may be directly correlated to macroplastic accumulation areas on our beaches impacted by weather winds and currents.
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What's so special about this activity?
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This provides a hands-on learning environment! We carefully determine the amount of plastic contamination by measuring the amount of microplastics present in the beach sand. We utilize high quality sieves of multiple sizes to sift through the sand; these sieves are extremely effective at separating out microplastics, which you'll be able to see for yourself!
With our experience and tools, we can easily teach our volunteers how to carry out these beach surveys and directly contribute to removing harmful plastics from our waterways.
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Microplastics in Sand
Microplastics are plastic materials smaller than 5mm in length and are often not easily visible to the human eye. They have been found in our food, water, and air. The source of microplastic is the breakdown of macroplastics and the nurdles used to create these macroplastic items. Areas with large amounts of microplastics may be directly correlated to macroplastic accumulation areas on our beaches impacted by weather winds and currents.
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What's so special about this activity?
​
This provides a hands-on learning environment! We carefully determine the amount of plastic contamination by measuring the amount of microplastics present in the beach sand. We utilize high quality sieves of multiple sizes to sift through the sand; these sieves are extremely effective at separating out microplastics, which you'll be able to see for yourself!
With our experience and tools, we can easily teach our volunteers how to carry out these beach surveys and directly contribute to removing harmful plastics from our waterways.
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Seaside's Call to Action
Seaside Sustainability aims to clean up floating debris from previously inaccessible areas and actively aid in the cleaning up of Cape Ann’s marine and coastal ecosystems with the Pixie Drone.
Commercial and consumer debris
Commercial and consumer debris represent distinct but interconnected facets of the broader issue of marine pollution. Commercial debris often originates from industrial activities, shipping cargo, and fishing operations, contributing to large-scale waste such as abandoned fishing gear or cargo. Alternatively, consumer debris encompasses the improper disposal of plastic bottles, packaging, and single-use plastics, often originating from individual habits or poor waste management. Both forms of debris pose significant threats to marine ecosystems, and addressing this complex challenge requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the sources, management, and reduction of both commercial and consumer debris to promote a healthier and more sustainable marine environment.