♪ MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS, I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO.

WELCOME.

>>TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY BILL DALE, AN ISLE OF MAN BASED JOURNALIST WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF BEACH BUDDIES.

BILL DALE, WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

>>THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

>>GOOD MORNING.

BILL, WE KNOW THAT YOU STARTED AN AMAZING ORGANIZATION.

WE WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR TRAJECTORY AS A JOURNALIST AND THEN TAKE IT FROM THERE SO YOU CAN TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT HELPED YOU CREATE THIS PASSION PROJECT.

>>OKAY.

WELL, WE BETTER START AT THE BEGINNING, I SUPPOSE, AND TELL YOU HOW IT STARTED, WHICH WAS BASICALLY ME WALKING MY DOGS ON A BEACH.

AND HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THE TENDENCY TO WALK DOWN BY THE WATER LINE, BUT THE DOGS ARE MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN THE UNUSUAL THINGS THAT YOU FIND ABOVE THE HIGH WATER MARK.

AND THEY CAME BACK DOWN TO THE WATER LEVEL WITH US WITH PLASTIC BOTTLES IN THEIR MOUTHS.

SO WE WENT UP TO INVESTIGATE OURSELVES IN AMONGST THE SAND DUNES AND THE REEDS AT THE HIGH WATER MARK, AND THERE WERE HUGE QUANTITIES OF PLASTIC.

AND SOME OF IT HAD BEEN BURIED IN THERE FOR ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE FEET DEEP IN SAND, SO 10 LAYERS LEVEL UNDERNEATH THE GROUND.

AND WE STARTED PICKING THEM UP AND WE COULD SEE IMMEDIATELY THAT WE NEEDED TO COME BACK AND GET A BIT MORE ORGANIZED.

SO THE FOLLOWING SIX WEEKENDS, TWO PEOPLE, MYSELF AND THE DOGS, WHO HELPED COLLECT THE RUBBISH AS WELL, WE COLLECTED 30,000 PLASTIC BOTTLES, SOME OF THEM DATING BACK 10 YEARS.

NOW THIS WAS IN 2006, SO SOME OF THEM WERE DATING BACK 10, 15 YEARS BEFORE THAT.

AND CLEARLY NOBODY HAD DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SO THAT WAS THE START OF IT.

AND THE PLAN REALLY WAS TO JUST CLEAN UP THAT BEACH BECAUSE THAT WAS A VERY NICE PLACE TO GO TO AND ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO GO.

AND THEN WE THOUGHT, "WELL, LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE OTHER BEACHES IN THE ISLE OF MAN."

AND OF COURSE, THEY WERE ALL IN THE SAME.

SO TO BE HONEST, I'VE NEVER STOPPED PICKING UP RUBBISH SINCE THEN AND THAT'S BEEN THE WAY IT'S WORKED.

AND WE'VE GATHERED TOGETHER LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS SINCE THEN.

BUT THERE WAS A GAP IN BETWEEN, AND I'LL ADMIT THAT BECAUSE OF THE STIGMA OF PICKING UP OTHER PEOPLE'S RUBBISH I DIDN'T EVEN TELL ANYBODY.

I DIDN'T TELL PEOPLE WHAT I WAS DOING WITH MY WEEKENDS.

AND HERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT NOW WHERE IN AN ISLAND OF 85,000 PEOPLE WE HAVE FIFTEEN AND A HALF THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS, THAT'S DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS.

SO IT'S CLEARLY CAUGHT THE IMAGINATION.

>>SO BEACH BUDDIES ALSO HAS AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, AS WELL.

HAS THAT HELPED CHANGE THE CULTURE ON DEALING WITH RUBBISH?

>>WITHOUT QUESTION, THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO NOW.

OKAY, PICKING UP RUBBISH IS REALLY GOOD, BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO TRY TO FIND OUT HOW IT GOT THERE, WHY IT IS THERE, WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROM?

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT THIS HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE?

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE WILDLIFE AND THE SEA ANIMALS?

SO, WE INITIALLY STARTED TO GET TOGETHER WITH COMPANIES, AND I'LL BE HONEST, IT WAS BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO GET SOME FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO TRY AND GET A VEHICLE TOGETHER AND A TRAILER.

BUT THEN IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE THOUGHT, "WELL, LET'S TALK TO THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE FUTURE IS."

AND THE MOST WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THAT IS WHEN WE TALKED TO THE CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOLS, AT THE WEEKEND I RECOGNIZED THEIR FACES AND THEY'D COME ALONG WITH MOM AND DAD OR PARENTS OR FRIENDS, AND THE CHILDREN ARE EDUCATING THE ADULTS.

AND THAT WORKS, WHEREAS, IF I WAS TO SPEAK TO THE ADULTS SOME OF THEM MIGHT GET INTERESTED.

I WOULD IMAGINE 90% WOULDN'T CARE.

BUT IF THE CHILDREN GO HOME AND TALK ABOUT IT AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, THEN THEY GET INVOLVED.

SO IT BECOMES A REAL COMMUNITY THING.

AND OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM IS PRETTY MUCH, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, UNPRECEDENTED ANYWHERE.

AND NUMBER ONE, IT WORKS.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

>>BILL, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT DIRECTLY CONNECTS WITH THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT, BECAUSE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING YOU DISCUSSED THE PROCESS.

YOU WENT THERE, YOU WERE WITH YOUR DOG, BUT THEN YOU CAME BACK.

YOU KNEW THAT YOU HAD TO RETURN BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH TRASH AND YOU HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

DID YOU EVER THINK FOR A MOMENT, "BUT IF I DO THIS IS IT REALLY GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?"

SO THIS IS FOR OUR AUDIENCE, AND FROM YOU, WHEN YOU DECIDED TO DO THIS AND TO CONTINUE, WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WERE THINKING THAT KEPT YOU GOING?

BECAUSE PICKING UP TRASH ONCE OR TWICE OTHER PEOPLE MAY SAY, "WELL, BILL, YOU'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU MAY NOT MAKE A CHANGE.

IT'S ONLY ONE OR TWO TIMES AND IT'S JUST YOU AND YOUR DOG."

SO WHAT KEPT YOU GOING?

>>YEAH, AND YOU'VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE SAID TO ME, "WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU BOTHERING BECAUSE ON THE NEXT TIDE, THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE ARRIVING ON THE NEXT TIDE."

AND I SAID, "WELL, IF I PICK UP ONE PIECE OF RUBBISH IT'S GOT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO IF WE PICK UP A HUNDRED PIECES OF RUBBISH AND A HUNDRED PEOPLE GET INVOLVED, THEN THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND IF THERE'S TRASH ON OTHER BEACHES AND WE PICK THAT UP, THEN SURELY SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE IS GOING TO REALIZE THAT ACTUALLY WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS."

SO, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I'M NOT THE MOST PATIENT PERSON AND I LIKE TO SEE THINGS DONE QUICKLY.

AND WE LAUNCHED, BASICALLY, AN ASSAULT ON THE BEACHES IN THE ISLE OF MAN, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IF TWO PEOPLE CAN CLEAN UP POSSIBLY WHAT WAS THE WORST BEACH IN THE ISLE OF MAN, THEN WHAT ABOUT IF...

I DREAMT THAT MAYBE WE MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS AT THE END, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED AFTER A FEW YEARS.

BUT BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR I HAD FIFTEEN HUNDRED, AND IT JUST SHOWED ME THAT THERE ARE LOADS MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.

AND THAT WAS WHAT DROVE ME ON.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY, EVEN IF THEY HADN'T GOTTEN INVOLVED, I WOULD HAVE CARRIED ON REGARDLESS.

AND I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BY NOW, AND I STILL AM, TO SOME EXTENT, CONSIDERED TO BE THE ECCENTRIC, RETIRED MILLIONAIRE WHO HAS GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH HIS LIFE.

AND ECCENTRIC, I MIGHT BE AT TIMES, BUT I'M DEFINITELY NOT A RETIRED MILLIONAIRE.

>>SO LET ME ASK YOU, HOW ARE YOU MEASURING SUCCESS?

YOU HAVE ALL THESE VOLUNTEERS, AND OBVIOUSLY THE MORE VOLUNTEERS YOU HAVE THE MORE TRASH YOU'RE COLLECTING.

SO HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS IS ONE QUESTION?

THE OTHER IS WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THIS TRASH?

>>THE SUCCESS IS MEASURED BY, BEING A JOURNALIST AND A PHOTOGRAPHER, THANK GOODNESS ON THE VERY FIRST DAY I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS.

AND EVERY BEACH WE WENT TO I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS BEFORE WE STARTED AND AFTERWARDS.

AND THERE IS THE PHYSICAL PROOF.

IF I'D GONE TO PEOPLE AND SAID, "LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE."

AND THEY WOULD SAY, "WELL, WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE?"

WELL, I'VE ALREADY GOT THAT.

SO THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES ASK QUESTIONS.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A SKEPTICISM ABOUT WHY YOU WOULD CARRY ON WHEN THE NEXT TIDE BRINGS IN MORE RUBBISH.

BUT WHAT I DO REALIZE IS THAT THIS TRASH, AND IT'S THE SAME ALL OVER THE WORLD, HAS BEEN GATHERING FOR 15, 20, 30 YEARS.

AND WHEN YOU REMOVE IT YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS STILL STUFF ARRIVING ON THE TIDE, BUT IT'S NOTHING LIKE THE QUANTITY THAT YOU'VE SHIFTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO IT IS A MANAGEABLE AMOUNT.

AND THEN THE THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING IS THE REALIZATION THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NOW, CERTAINLY IN THE ISLE OF MAN, WHERE IT ALL STARTS.

BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, IS HOW IT GETS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND THE GREAT THING IS, YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE CAN TAKE CONTROL OF.

IF YOU WAIT FOR GOVERNMENTS THIS IS GOING TO TAKE YEARS OR IT MIGHT NOT EVEN HAPPEN.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S THE PUBLIC WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.

SO THIS HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ARE DUMPING TRASH IN THE STREET.

AND THEN IT GOES DOWN THE DRAIN IN A RIVER OUT TO SEA AND ON THE BEACH.

IT'S NOT GOVERNMENT THAT'S DOING THIS.

IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT GOING OUT DROPPING THE RUBBISH IN THE STREET.

IT'S US.

SO THEREFORE, THAT'S THE LESSON THAT I TEACH ALL THE CHILDREN.

IT'S ME, IT'S YOU, IT'S YOUR TEACHERS, IT'S YOUR MOTHER, IT'S YOUR FATHER.

IT'S EVERYBODY YOU KNOW.

IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT THROWING THIS IN THE STREET.

THEREFORE, IF THIS IS A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE COMMUNITY LET'S HAVE A COMMUNITY RESPONSE.

AND THAT SEEMS TO WORK HERE.

AND IT APPEARS THAT PEOPLE ARE PICKING THIS UP AROUND THE WORLD.

AND THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE INTERVIEWING ME ALL THE WAY FROM FLORIDA JUST SHOWS THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC DESIRE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AND NOT JUST SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING, SOMEBODY ELSE, BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELVES.

>>BILL, DO YOU THINK THAT THE CHILDREN ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT AUDIENCE AT THIS TIME?

DO YOU THINK THAT THAT EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT AND GETTING INTO THE SCHOOLS IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT ALL OF US SHOULD HAVE AROUND THE WORLD?

BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT THE ADULTS ARE THE ONES, THE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WITH THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW, BUT ISN'T THIS AN IDEA ISSUE?

ISN'T THIS A BIGGER PROBLEM THAT HAS TO DO WITH CHANGING A CULTURE, CHANGING A WAY, AS WELL?

>>WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOME COUNTRIES, PLACES LIKE, ANYWHERE PRETTY MUCH IN THE FAR EAST ASIAN COUNTRIES, INDIA IN PARTICULAR, THEIR POLICY IN MANY CASES IS JUST TO DUMP TRASH INTO RIVERS.

LET IT GO OUT TO SEA AND LET'S HOPE IT GOES AWAY.

AND OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T.

SO COUNTRIES LIKE THAT, I THINK IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO THE TIME WHERE THE WORLD ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD GET TOGETHER AND SAY, "LISTEN, GUYS, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

IF YOU DON'T SORT YOUR ACT OUT WITHIN FIVE YEARS THEN WE'RE GOING TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON YOU GUYS OR PENALTIES, OR STOP TRADING WITH YOU GUYS IF YOU DON'T SORT OUT YOUR END OF THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE YOU ARE CREATING A PROBLEM."

AND THAT DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO THOSE COUNTRIES.

THAT COULD BE THE U.S.A., ANY STATE IN THE U.S.A.

IT COULD BE ANY OF THE COUNTIES IN ENGLAND.

AND PEOPLE MUST REALIZE.

I SPOKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OHIO IN 2017 AND YOU COULD SEE BY THE REACTION THAT THEY WERE VERY KEEN TO HEAR WHAT WE WERE DOING.

BUT THEY WERE THINKING, "WELL, HOW COULD WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?"

BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY FROM THE OCEAN.

BUT THEY HAVE THE MAHONING RIVER GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF YOUNGSTOWN, WHICH IS WHERE I WAS.

AND THAT WAS FULL OF PLASTIC BOTTLES AND ALL SORTS.

I WENT DOWN TO HAVE A LOOK AT IT.

AND THAT ENDS UP GOING OUT THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI.

SO THAT IS POLLUTING THE GULF OF MEXICO.

SO THEREFORE, THE PEOPLE IN OHIO, IN YOUNGSTOWN, CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT THE OTHER END.

SO, IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT BULB MOMENT FOR MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDN'T THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT THEY DID WAS CAUSING ANY PROBLEM.

AND YOU'VE ASKED ME THERE, TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, THE KEY TO THIS IS TO SPEAK TO THE CHILDREN, WHICH I'VE BEEN DOING FOR 10 YEARS.

NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, I BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY.

PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE COFFEE AND FAST FOOD AND ITEMS, TAKEAWAY ITEMS, AND THEY PROVIDE IT IN THINGS LIKE POLYSTYRENE TRAYS, AND THEY HAVE PLASTIC KNIVES AND FORKS AND THEY HAVE PLASTIC DISHES.

AND THAT STUFF ENDS UP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ALONG WITH DRINKS CANS, AND WINE BOTTLES AND COFFEE CONTAINERS.

AND ON THAT BASIS, YOU HAVE TO THINK, "WELL, WHAT AGE GROUP ARE THE PEOPLE WHO EAT AND DRINK THIS STUFF?"

AND IT'S PROBABLY TEENAGERS AND SLIGHTLY OLDER, BETWEEN THE AGES OF MAYBE 17, 18, 19, MAYBE WHEN THEY CAN DRIVE AND THEY JUST THROW THINGS OUT THE WINDOW.

AND OUR EVIDENCE HERE IS WHEN WE SEE NEW STUFF ON THE BEACH, NOW THAT WE'VE CLEANED OUR BEACHES UP, THE NEW STUFF IS ALMOST ALL LINKED TO EITHER FAST FOOD, WHICH I WOULD SAY IS ABOUT 80 OR 90%, AND 10% FISHING INDUSTRY.

AND I THINK ADULTS, ONCE THEY GET A LITTLE BIT OLDER MAYBE BECOME A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBLE.

BUT I THINK IF WE CATCH, NOW THAT WE'VE SLIPPED THESE GUYS THROUGH THE 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN EDUCATING, THE ONES THAT I WAS SPEAKING TO WHEN THEY WERE 15, 16, 17, ARE NOW LATE TWENTIES.

AND I MEET THESE PEOPLE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY SAY, "IT'S CHANGED OUR CULTURE.

WE CANNOT WALK PAST A PIECE OF RUBBISH OR A PIECE OF TRASH WITHOUT PICKING IT UP."

AND IT'S A MINDSET CHANGE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WHO COMES ON A BEACH CLEANING SESSION WITH US FINDS REALLY UNUSUAL IS THAT ONCE THEY'VE DONE IT ONCE THEY'VE GONE PASSED THE BARRIER.

THEY NEVER THROW RUBBISH OR TRASH IN THE STREET EVER AGAIN.

AND THAT IS THE BEST THING.

>>SO, BILL, YOUR APPROACH IS VERY MUCH A GRASSROOTS APPROACH TO THIS, WHERE YOU GOT CITIZENS INVOLVED.

HOW HAS GOVERNMENT BEEN INVOLVED AND HOW HAS BUSINESS BEEN INVOLVED?

YOU MENTIONED THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY, AND I IMAGINE THE BOTTLING INDUSTRY HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED A GREAT DEAL TO THE POLLUTION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

HOW HAS BUSINESS AND THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF BEEN PARTNERS IN THIS?

>>IT'S BEEN A GOOD REACTION, TO BE HONEST.

AGAIN, I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO EXPECT BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS LIKE ME GOING TO THEM AND POINTING OUT THAT THEY'RE MAKING MISTAKES.

THE GOVERNMENT GOT INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE THAT...

OKAY, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT THAT'S THROWING THE RUBBISH IN THE STREET, BUT THEY COULD SEE THERE WAS A VALUE IN GIVING US SOME SUPPORT.

SO WE GET A SMALL AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT EVERY YEAR.

BUSINESSES ARE MUCH MORE KEEN TO GET INVOLVED.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE DONE, AND THIS MAYBE COMPLETES THE LOOP FOR BEACH BUDDIES, IS THAT WE'VE GOT LOADS OF VOLUNTEERS AND CLEAN UP THE TRASH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN BINS ON THE BEACH.

AND THESE ARE VERY DISTINCTIVE, BRIGHT ORANGE BINS WITH OUR NAME ON THEM.

AND WHAT I FOUND IS THAT IF THERE'S A LOCAL AUTHORITY OR A GOVERNMENT BIN ON THE BEACH AND OURS IS ALONGSIDE, GUESS WHICH ONE FILLS UP FIRST?

BECAUSE THEY FILL OUR BIN BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THINK IT'S THEIR BIN.

IT'S THE COMMUNITY BIN.

NOW, WE HAVE THESE AT THE ACCESS POINTS TO EVERY SINGLE BEACH IN THE ISLE OF MAN.

THERE'S MORE THAN 40, 45, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEY FILL UP ALL THE TIME.

AND THEN OUT OF THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE DONATED TO THE CHARITY, WHICH IS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, WE BOUGHT OURSELVES A TRUCK AND THEN WE HAVE TWO VOLUNTEERS WHO GO AROUND AND EMPTY THE BINS.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SYSTEM.

AND THEN WE TAKE THE BINS THAT, EACH ONE'S GOT A LARGE BAG INSIDE OF IT, AND THEN WE TAKE THAT TO...

THE GOVERNMENT HAS AN ENERGY FOR WASTE PLANT.

THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS IN SCANDINAVIA WHERE YOU BURN TRASH TO MAKE ELECTRICITY.

BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE THE STUFF TO BE BURNED WE TAKE OUT ALL THE RECYCLABLES.

SO WE TAKE OUT PLASTIC BOTTLES AND TIN CANS AND GLASS AND METAL.

AND THEN WE RECYCLE THOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE RECYCLING AREAS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY DOES THESE DAYS.

AND THEN THE REST OF IT IS BURNED TO MAKE ELECTRICITY.

SO IT IS A VERY EFFICIENT SYSTEM.

BY CHANCE, BECAUSE THIS ENERGY FROM WASTE PLANT COSTS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT THERE WAS MASSIVE CONTROVERSY OVER THE AMOUNTS OF MONEY IT WAS COSTING, BUT THE GOVERNMENT WENT AHEAD WITH IT.

AND I THINK THAT WAS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THEY'VE EVER DONE IN TERMS OF DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND WHEN THE ISLE OF MAN GOT UNESCO BIOSPHERE STATUS, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION THAT HAVING THAT PIECE OF KIT WAS A VERY INFLUENTIAL PART OF RECEIVING THAT AWARD.

>>BILL, YOU MENTIONED THAT PEOPLE USUALLY CHOOSE THE BEACH BUDDIES' BINS OVER THE GOVERNMENT ONES BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT IT'S THEIRS.

HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THAT?

DO YOU THINK THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUR JOURNALISTIC BACKGROUND HELPED YOU?

>>I THINK JOURNALISM IS A GOOD BACKGROUND FOR ANYBODY.

NO MATTER WHAT, POLITICIANS OR WHOEVER, MAY SAY ABOUT FAKE NEWS, WHEN YOU'RE A JOURNALIST OR A BROADCASTER, YOUR NAME GOES ON THE WORDS OR THE SOUND THAT YOU MAKE, OR THE REPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE.

AND IN A LITTLE PLACE LIKE THE ISLE OF MAN, IF YOU WRITE SOMETHING WHICH IS INACCURATE OR LIES OR MISLEADING OR DELIBERATELY WEIGHTED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BELIEVE ME, YOU'LL BE STOPPED IN THE STREET AND CONFRONTED BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO IN PLACES LIKE THE ISLE OF MAN WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS EACH OTHER.

BUT THAT APPLIES EVERYWHERE.

SO I THINK JOURNALISM IS A VERY GOOD WAY OF TEACHING YOU HOW TO BE OBJECTIVE AND TO BE ACCURATE.

BUT ALSO I THINK IT'S VERY GOOD AT TEACHING YOU TO BE INVESTIGATIVE.

SO YOU RESEARCH A STORY AND YOU RESEARCH A SUBJECT, WHICH I DID WITH PLASTICS AND TRASH ON BEACHES.

AND THEN I USED THAT TO CREATE THE CHARITY.

AND LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO IT.

SO I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD BACKGROUND.

ALSO, I'M NOT UNCOMFORTABLE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I'M FOREVER WRITING ARTICLES AND RADIO INTERVIEWS.

SO THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE STORY ACROSS AND HOPEFULLY IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

AND I DO LIKE TO TALK VERY STRAIGHT RATHER THAN COMPLICATED.

I THINK POLITICIANS WILL SPEND 20 MINUTES SAYING SOMETHING I COULD SAY IN MAYBE 30 SECONDS, AND THEN YOU LOSE THE FLAVOR OF REALLY WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

SO WE TRY TO SEND OUT A VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE.

AND PARTICULARLY WHEN WE TALK TO CHILDREN, YOU CAN'T COMPLICATE IT TOO MUCH.

BUT THEY GET THE MESSAGE IN FIVE MINUTES.

AND FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IT CHANGES THEIR LIVES, AND THEN THEY GO HOME AND CHANGE THEIR PARENTS' LIVES.

I'M 68 YEARS OLD.

SO I REALIZE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE AROUND HERE FOREVER, BUT I WOULDN'T HALF LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING VERY SERIOUS HAPPEN AROUND THE WORLD.

EVEN IF THEY USE US AS THE BASIS FOR IT, THAT IS FANTASTIC.

BUT IF THEY JUST GET THE MESSAGE, EVEN IF ONE OF MY SENTENCES GETS SOMEWHERE AND SOMEBODY THINKS ABOUT IF ONE PERSON CAN START SOMETHING LIKE THIS THEN WHAT COULD WE DO?

AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, HOPEFULLY WATCHING TODAY, WHO ARE THINKING, "WELL, WE COULD GO OUT AND PICK UP SOME RUBBISH."

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LIVE NEAR A BEACH.

YOU COULD DO IT IN YOUR OWN STREETS OR IN YOUR OWN PARK OR IN YOUR OWN PLAY AREA, OR JUST SOMEWHERE, THE FAVORITE PLACE THAT YOU GO TO, A FOREST OR A RIVER.

AND JUST, EVEN ADOPT IT AND GO DOWN THERE ONCE A WEEK.

AND THEN OTHERS WILL WATCH YOU AND ASK YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THEY MIGHT THINK YOU'RE CRAZY FOR A WHILE, BUT IN A WHILE YOU SUDDENLY FIND, YOU'LL LOOK BEHIND YOU AND THERE'S AN ARMY.

AND I THINK THERE'S FAR, FAR MORE PEOPLE, FAR, FAR MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS THAN SITTING BACK AND DOING NOTHING.

AND ALL THEY NEED IS THAT LITTLE BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

AND ALSO MAYBE IF THEY LOOK AT OUR STORY AND SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE, AND IF THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A LITTLE PLACE LIKE THE ISLE OF MAN, THEN MY GOODNESS, IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO IN AMERICA OR RUSSIA OR EUROPE OR AFRICA OR CHINA.

MY GOODNESS, YOU COULD DO SOMETHING AMAZING AND IT COULD CHANGE THE FUTURE OF THE PLANET.

AND IT'S NOT DIFFICULT, IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, IT'S NOT EXPENSIVE.

>>SO BILL, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALONG THOSE LINES, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHY THE ISLE OF MAN HAS BEEN SO RECEPTIVE TO THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

AND YOU WERE JUST EXPLAINING WHY AND HOW IT COULD BE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PLACES OF THE WORLD, BUT WHY DID IT WORK IN THE ISLE OF MAN FIRST?

>>THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE ISLE OF MAN.

IT IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

FOR ANYBODY WHOSE NEVER SEEN IT JUST GOOGLE THE ISLE OF MAN AND HAVE A LOOK.

I THINK WE'RE GUILTY OF HOLDING THIS PLACE AS A HIDDEN TREASURE.

WE DON'T EVEN GET A LOT OF TOURISTS FROM THE UK.

THAT, HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO CHANGE WITH A NEW PLAN WHICH HAS COME ABOUT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT THE ONE THING ABOUT AN ISLAND AND AN ISLAND LIKE OURS WHICH HAS A CELTIC AND THAT SORT OF A BACKGROUND, IS THAT WE'VE HAD TO FIGHT OUR CORNER MANY TIMES.

THE VIKINGS INVADED HERE 1200 YEARS AGO AND IN THE END WE MADE FRIENDS WITH THEM.

RATHER THAN BATTLE WITH THEM, WE MADE FRIENDS WITH THEM AND THE VIKINGS ESTABLISHED A PRETTY STRONG BASE HERE.

AND I THINK WE'RE VERY GOOD AT FIGHTING OUR CORNER, BUT ALSO NOT BEING AVERSE TO SHARING WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

AND I THINK ALSO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE ISLAND THAT WE'VE GOT.

SO CONSEQUENTLY, IT'S NOT BEEN A DIFFICULT THING TO PERSUADE PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT RETAINING THAT IMAGE.

AND WE ARE AN ISLAND WHICH DID AT ONE TIME RELY VERY HEAVILY ON TOURISM.

SO, WE DO WELCOME PEOPLE AND IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE FRIENDLIEST PLACES IN THE WORLD BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT RACE, COLOR, OR WHEREVER YOU COME FROM, PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY'VE GOT A WARM WELCOME HERE.

SO I THINK THE CULTURE IN THE ISLE OF MAN ENABLED BEACH BUDDIES TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECEPTIVENESS TO DO SOMETHING WHICH THEY COULD SEE WAS OPENLY A GOOD THING TO DO.

AND THAT IT ACHIEVED SOMETHING VERY QUICKLY AND THAT THE PEOPLE GOT A VERY GOOD RESPONSE FROM THE COMPANIES THEY WORK FOR AND FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND FROM THE MEDIA.

AND IT'S ONE OF THE, IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, POSSIBLY ONE OF THE GREATEST, GOOD NEWS STORIES THAT THE ISLE OF MAN HAS EVER HAD.

AND OF COURSE, WE'VE HAD AMAZING WORLDWIDE INTEREST.

WE WERE IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE.

WE WERE ON BBC WORLD NEWS.

IN 2019 WE HAD OVER 300 MILLION PEOPLE EITHER WATCHED US ON TELEVISION, READ ABOUT US IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC OR READ OR SAW US ON TV AND IN NEWSPAPERS.

I MEAN, THAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.

WHEN I TOTALED IT ALL UP AND ADDED IT ALL UP, IT'S A HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR A LITTLE PLACE LIKE THIS.

SO CLEARLY, WE'VE FOUND SOMETHING THAT WORKS AND THE PEOPLE HAVE ENGAGED ON A LEVEL THAT I NEVER EXPECTED.

BUT GOOD ON THEM AND GOOD ON THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN.

THIS, I THINK, AND I KEEP SAYING IT EVERY TIME I GIVE A TALK OR I SPEAK TO PEOPLE OR THE MEDIA, IS THIS IS A REFLECTION ON THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLE OF MAN AND HOW THEY CARE ABOUT, NOT JUST THE ISLE OF MAN, BUT ABOUT THE WHOLE PLANET.

>>BILL, YOU MENTIONED ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE AND HEAR ABOUT THIS MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THROUGH THE PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA.

SO HOPEFULLY THROUGH THIS BROADCAST WE CAN ADD SOME MORE THOUSANDS FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BEYOND FOR THAT.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU WHEN IT COMES TO THE OTHER COUNTRIES AND OTHER INTERESTS, WHAT COUNTRIES HAVE APPROACHED YOU TO HELP THEM MAYBE CONSULT, OR HAVE YOU HAD ANY SPECIFIC STORIES ABOUT SPREADING YOUR MESSAGE IN A SPECIFIC PLACE THAT YOU COULD BRING UP?

>>WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE UNITED STATES WAS THE FIRST TO ASK ME TO SPEAK.

SO I HAVE FRIENDS NOW AT OHIO UNIVERSITY IN YOUNGSTOWN.

BUT BY CHANCE, THEY CAME TO THE ISLE OF MAN.

THEIR GEOLOGY GROUP CAME TO THE ISLE OF MAN.

THAT'S ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE ISLE OF MAN, IT HAS UNBELIEVABLE GEOLOGY.

AND WHEN PEOPLE GET HERE, GEOLOGISTS GET HERE, THEY JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

IT'S APPARENTLY SOME OF THE VERY, VERY BEST IN THE WORLD.

SO WHEN THEY WERE HERE, BY CHANCE, ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AROUND IN WHICH THEY WERE BEING TRANSPORTED.

AND WE HAD A BEACH CLEANING SESSION, BY CHANCE, ON THAT DAY.

AND I SPOKE TO THE TWO PROFESSORS THERE.

THEY WERE FASCINATED BY THE STORY.

AND THEN WE HAD DINNER THAT EVENING AND THEN THE NEXT THING I WAS INVITED TO SPEAK AT A MAJOR PRESENTATION AT YOUNGSTOWN UNIVERSITY.

AND THEN ON THE BACK OF THAT I SPOKE AT MONTEREY UNIVERSITY IN CALIFORNIA.

AND THEN ONCE THAT HAD BEEN ON THE UNIVERSITY WEBSITES, SUDDENLY I WAS GETTING MESSAGES FROM EVERYWHERE.

AND PRETTY MUCH, YOU NAME ANY COUNTRY AND WE'D HAD AN APPROACH.

HAWAII, FAR EAST, RIGHT ACROSS AMERICA, EUROPE, YOU NAME IT.

THE GREAT THING IS THE ISLE OF MAN IS WELL-KNOWN AS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SAFELY INVEST YOUR MONEY.

AND OVER HERE WE HAVE COMPANIES WITH OFFICES ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

AND IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS I'VE HAD APPROACHES FROM A HUGE SHIPPING COMPANY, FROM TWO OR THREE INVESTMENT COMPANIES, AND ONE OTHER MAJOR INVESTMENT COMPANY.

AND WHEN THE COVID PANDEMIC BROKE OUT IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, ALL OF THESE THINGS CAME TO A HALT.

BUT THERE WERE ACTUALLY PROGRAMS SET IN PLACE WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO TO ALL OF THEIR OFFICES.

AND THESE ARE EVERYWHERE, ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE.

YOU CAN IMAGINE, SHIPPING COMPANIES, THEY'RE JUST EVERYWHERE.

AND WITH MAYBE 30, 40 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED, AND THEY WERE PREPARED TO OPEN BRANCHES OF BEACH BUDDIES IN THOSE COUNTRIES.

SO WHEN COVID ARRIVED IT JUST STOPPED EVERYTHING, SADLY.

BUT BELIEVE ME IN THE BACKGROUND, I'VE USED THIS LAST SIX MONTHS TO BE WORKING ON A WHOLE SERIES OF MAJOR PROJECTS.

AND THE NAME BEACH BUDDIES WILL BE AROUND THE WORLD VERY SHORTLY.

AND I HOPE ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THIS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE INTEREST IN FLORIDA, ANYBODY WHO'S WATCHING THIS SHOULD JUST FEEL EMPOWERED THAT ONE PERSON CAN GO AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND START SOMETHING.

IT'S NOT DIFFICULT.

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LOOK US UP ON THE INTERNET, WE'VE GOT OUR OWN WEBSITE, THEN WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO IMPART THE INFORMATION.

WE'RE NOT KEEPING THIS A SECRET.

WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN MONEY.

WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN SPREADING THE MESSAGE TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THIS PLANET IN A GOOD WAY.

AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT WITH BEACHES, THEN MAYBE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO IT WITH OTHER THINGS AS WELL.

I THINK THIS EMPOWERS PEOPLE.

SO, IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY.

I JUST WANTED TO CLEAN UP ONE BEACH INITIALLY.

THEN I THOUGHT, "WELL, I'LL CLEAN UP ONE ISLAND."

AND LOOK AT IT.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE TAKING ON CLEANING UP THE WORLD.

BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL AND I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO BE THE PERSON WHO RUNS THIS ORGANIZATION.

>>GREAT.

BILL DALE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>>THANK YOU, GUYS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.

THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.