In the middle of the Monte Hermoso sand, an amplified voice interrupts the rest routine and proposes a necessary pause. This is how Playas Limpias acts, an initiative that combines creativity, territorial presence, and environmental education to promote the care of the sea and the beach.
The project was born eight years ago in Rivera and, with the municipal support, found in the coast an ideal setting to engage with tourists and residents.
Since then, the spontaneous interventions have been consolidated as an effective tool to raise awareness without imposing, appealing to closeness and empathy.
A message that grows and diversifies
Over time, the program expanded its forms of communication. Posters, brochures, joint actions with other municipal programs, and presence at events were added to the megaphone.
Thus, the environmental message ceased to be punctual to become a sustained policy throughout each season. The strategy seeks to reach different audiences and adapt to contexts, without losing clarity or consistency.
Daily work beyond the visible
In addition to educational actions, Playas Limpias carries out waste collection tasks in hard-to-reach areas, where the municipality cannot reach without 4×4 vehicles.
These areas, often more rugged, concentrate plastics, nylon, and debris that the sea returns or that remain trapped in the sand. Therefore, the daily presence of the team helps reduce the environmental impact in key sectors of the coast.
Three axes to protect the coastal ecosystem
The program organizes its work around three central guidelines. The first aims at the responsible disposal of cigarette butts, one of the most polluting wastes.
The second promotes the correct separation and management of waste generated on the beach. The third discourages the extraction of shells and snails, fundamental for the balance of the marine ecosystem.
An initiative that gives life back to the sea
In this last point, Playas Limpias collaborates with the Museum of Natural Sciences through the project “Yo regreso”. The proposal recovers snails removed over the years and returns them to the sea.
These organisms perform essential functions, such as regulating the pH of the water and protecting microhabitats. Returning them is a concrete way to repair accumulated damage and strengthen coastal biodiversity.
What are the benefits of this program?
The initiative has helped Monte Hermoso maintain high levels of cleanliness despite the large crowds. At the same time, it has established habits that are replicated year after year.
The impact is measured at the end of each season, with data on interventions, waste removed, and materials that did not reach the sea.
But the most lasting benefit is intangible: a community and visitors who understand that caring for the beach is a shared responsibility.
We are all part of the care
Playas Limpias insists on a simple and powerful message: each person is part of the ecosystem they enjoy. Picking up someone else’s waste or avoiding unnecessary plastic also counts.
On a 32-kilometer coast, the sum of small gestures makes a difference. Thus, the beach ceases to be just a place of rest and becomes a living space that deserves to be protected by everyone.
