On Saturday, May 16th, members of Rotary eClub Ibiza International joined Creatives for the Planet at Cala Martina for a volunteer beach clean.

The event was organised by Creatives for the Planet, with ReCII members attending as community volunteers. Gloves, bin bags and pick-up sticks were handed out, and off everyone went.

Representing ReCII on the day were Ronnie Böhler, President of ReCII for the 2025-2026 Rotary year, together with husband Alberto, Sabina, Ursula, Gaby, Andy, Catti and Cat.

It was a beautiful Ibiza morning. The beach was still fairly quiet, the sun was out, the breeze was cool, and the sea looked almost like a mirror. There was a strong spirit of teamwork from the start, with warm welcomes, good humour, and a very clear sense that everyone had simply turned up to help.

The group gathered at around 11:00 a.m., with the beach clean beginning at approximately 11:30. Volunteers spread out across Cala Martina, combing different areas of the beach before returning at around 12:30 so the rubbish could be sorted, separated and weighed.

The final total was striking: in just one hour, around 25-30 volunteers collected 90 kilos of rubbish.

That figure was especially surprising because Cala Martina is often seen as one of the cleaner beaches on Ibiza. It was a useful reminder that even places which appear well cared for can still need attention, and that small, practical actions can quickly add up.

There were also some lovely moments of wider community involvement. Lola and her mum, neighbours of ReCII member Sabina, came along to help after hearing about the clean-up. It was a small but perfect example of how word of mouth can quietly bring more people into good work already happening.

At one point, two men who had been relaxing on the sea wall noticed rubbish in the water beneath them. They jumped in, retrieved it, and handed it over to the volunteers. No fuss. Just a small act of help, done immediately.

There was plenty of laughter too. Two volunteers may have made a swift tactical stop for takeaway coffees at Chirincana, at one end of the beach. Once finished, the cups were ceremoniously placed into the rubbish bags. Nothing, apparently, was getting away that morning.

For ReCII, this was a simple, hands-on way to support one of Rotary’s Areas of Focus: protecting the environment. No speeches required. Just gloves, bags, pick-up sticks, and a willingness to help.

It was also a good example of how ReCII works with aligned local initiatives across the island. Sometimes the most useful thing is not to organise the whole event, but to show up, join in, and support the people already doing good work.

Our thanks to Creatives for the Planet for organising the beach clean,
and to everyone who gave their time to help keep Cala Martina a little cleaner.

ReCII Joins Creatives for the Planet for Cala Martina Beach Clean