INTERVIEW with Anne Mäusbacher, the founder of "beach cleaner"
JB: Can you briefly introduce yourself?
AM: Hey, I'm Anne, mid-40s, environmental activist, book author, mom, surfer-to-be, yoga teacher and ocean lover. I was born in Erlangen, traveled a lot and then got stuck here.
JB: Please tell us a little bit about your heart project beach cleaner ?
AT THE: I founded beach cleaner because I want to appeal to a lot more people to help stop ocean pollution. That was a few years ago when we discovered so much rubbish in the sea and on the beach that I just couldn't help but keep collecting it all. After becoming so interested in the subject, I did a short course from UNEP and a university in Maastricht on marine litter. This is how my book Kids for the Ocean came about, an educational program for children, adults, teachers and educators. Easy to understand, with a lot of background why you also have to protect the ocean.
JB: What else are you working on?
AM: I keep giving lectures – also in companies and associations on our plastic-free lifestyle and the beach cleaner initiative. At the same time, we have been living plastic-free for 5 years, it didn't come overnight, it took months! I share this journey with others, also on social media , website and lectures, interviews, we have often been on TV, you could see our household and how we live.
JB: Do you have a favorite place?
AM: Hossegor on the Atlantic, Ibiza – Cala Comte (beach cleaner was born there), Perhentian Islands (Malaysia)
And on my bucket travel list is Macro and Micronesia, French. Polynesia and so on, I hope I can still get there, despite climate change and COVID...
JB: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
AM: My dream would be to live on the beach and drive my projects from there, so work, I just love the sea and the beach, windy or calm weather, the ever-changing picture on the horizon, nature, the noise, the salt in the air or in my hair.. and also the reduced life. I don't need to go on vacation anymore... Let's see what happens.
JB: What makes you happy?
Nature and endless time at the sea with my family, watching my son surfing and eventually doing it myself.
My own yoga classes, wherever on this planet.
JB: What does a typical day in the life of Anne Mäusbacher look like?
- 6am Yoga
- 6.30am quick social media check
- 6.45am shower
- 7am breakfast
- 7.30 off to work / school
- The same process applies to homeschooling or home office.
- Work work work
- 5.30pm walk in the park, grocery shopping zero waste / Farmers place
- 6.30 dinner / family catch-up
- 8-10/11 work / project work, calls, Skype, networking
- Sometimes yoga too
I'm an early riser and take advantage of the quiet in the morning, but sometimes work late into the night.
JB: What comes to your mind when you hear the following keywords?
- Social Media: My own channel and the many other offers, overkill
- Music: Bonobo , classical music, braz. Lounge music
-Role models: Dr. Sylvia Earle
- Flow: My yoga flow.. My life in flow
- Inspiration: Many other activists, Greta , David Attenborough , Dalai Lama ,
Movies ( Albatross ), Plastic Planet , all documentaries on sustainability
- Adventure: stay in the jungle (I already have) - the rainforest is just as important as the ocean. I've been to three large rainforests on this earth so far and it's super impressive, beautiful.. I hope this source of oxygen won't be completely cut down and people will finally wake up before we destroy ourselves. planet for profit
You can find out more about her wonderful project on Anne's website and you can also support it: https://www.beachcleaner.de/ and on her YouTube channel you will find many tips for a plastic-free life: https://bit.ly /3ku6695
