Beach Cleanup: Protecting our Ocean
Beach cleanup is a perfect way to get involved in protecting the ocean environment and a fantastic way to exercise! Beach cleanup is essentially a voluntary activity among concerned citizens that takes place on a regular basis along coastlines around the world. People are joining in to gather beach litter and make the beach a better and safer environment for everybody. Cleaning the beach also strengthens the coastal and ocean environment by ensuring that none of the litter destroys aquatic organisms or is harmful enough to interrupt the marine life cycle.
Have you always wanted to join the effort to create cleaner and healthier beaches? Here are a number of beach cleanup programs around the United States and how you can get involved.
- Heal the Bay
Heal the Bay is an environmental nonprofit dedicated to making the coastal waters and watersheds of Greater Los Angeles safe, healthy and clean. To fulfill our mission, we use science, education, community action, and advocacy. Join the monthly beach cleanups that occur every third Saturday of the month. They are also involved in other beach programs like Suits on the Sand, and have the opportunity to attend Coastal Cleanup Day, Site Captain training.
For more information on how you can get involved click here
Location: Redondo Beach Pier s/s, Tower Ruby, George Freeth Way (on the beach next to Veteran's Park) Redondo Beach, CA 90277 United States
- Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has embarked on a long-term ecological restoration aimed at reestablishing and managing beach dune, coastal strand, freshwater wetlands, maritime hammock, and mangrove forest communities. On the second Saturday of each month, the Park will hold a volunteer beach/park clean up from 9 am - 11 a.m. anyone under the age of 16 should be accompanied by an adult. Groups of children will require an adult chaperone for each 10 children. This is a great way to earn community service hours for school!
This volunteer opportunity gives you free admission to the park and a shelter shared with the other participants for the whole day so that you can enjoy the Park after your work to clean it up!
To find out more about this volunteer opportunity click here
Location: 1200 Crandon BlvdMiami, FL 33149, US
- Ocean Institute
The Ocean Institute is an educational organization offering ocean science and maritime history programs. They offer weekday programs for students K-12th grades as well as public programs on weekdays and weekends. Cleanup events meet in front of the Ocean Institute and run from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on select Saturdays.
Looking to get involved? Click here for more information
Location: 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, CA 92629, US
- Project Save Our Surf Beach Clean Up
Join Project Save Our Surf for a fun afternoon of mimosas and music all while cleaning the beach. Food, buckets and gloves will also be provided for the clean up. Come connect with others in Los Angeles working to support our environment. We’re at it every 2nd Saturday of the month rain or shine!
Want to participate in a beach cleanup? Click here for more information.
Location: Santa Monica Beach Tower 26, 2559 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 90405, US
- Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy
The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy is seeking volunteers to assist with our Coastal Habitat Heroes environmental education program for 4th grade students in spring 2020. Coastal Habitat Heroes, a curriculum based program of the Every Kid Outdoors Initiative, engages 4th grade students in hands-on activities, including beach seining and a shoreline cleanup, and is offered at park sites around Jamaica Bay including Plumb Beach, Marine Park, Canarsie Pier, and Dubos Point Wildlife Sanctuary. Education Program Volunteers will work with the JBRPC staff to assist with program facilitation, preparation and cleanup.
Looking to make a difference? Click here for more information.
Location: 177 B 116th St., Suite 4, Rockaway Park, NY 11694, US.
The bottom line
Cleaning the beach improves the coastal and ocean ecosystem by making sure that none of the trash kills marine life or is toxic enough to disrupt the marine life cycle. A beach clean up is also an opportunity to gather fresh data about the state of our coasts and the types of trash that pollutes them. The consequences can be deadly. Remember that story from last year about the dead sperm whale that washed ashore in Indonesia? It was found with more than 1,000 pieces of plastic inside its body — proof positive that litter has far-reaching and dire consequences on marine life.
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