How To Organize Beach Cleanups
Jump to: Larger Scale Efforts
Start Small
Picking up even one piece of trash IS a beach cleanup. If you carry out more than you packed in, you make a difference.
Over 50 million people visit California's beaches each year.
Imagine how much less trash there would be if everyone picked up just one extra piece of trash from the beach?
Pick 3 For The Sea
We love this line. It's simple, it rhymes, it's memorable. Commit to collecting three pieces of trash during every beach trip.
Chances are, you won't have to take a long stroll down the beach. Plus you can create an amazing ripple effect, inspiring others to do the same.
Larger Scale Efforts
If you're inspired to organize and run your own beach cleanup event, more power to you!
Here are some tips to get you started:
BEFORE THE CLEANUP
1. Scout out your location.
Ensure that the area you wish to clean is safe, accessible, and permissible. (You may need to check in with local park or beach management beforehand.) Avoid areas near power lines, busy roads, or particularly slippery rocks.
2. Plan the logistics.
It can be helpful to gather trash in teams. As an example, you can group households into teams of 3+ people. One data recorder can keep tally on trash totals, using a form like this one from Ocean Conservancy. Another person (or two) can hold the trash bag, and the remaining can collect trash.
3. Promote the event.
Reach out to friends, family, and even local coworkers. The beach is a relatively safe space to gather, so long as everyone practices social distancing, wears masks, and gathers trash with gloves. Consider reaching out to local businesses, especially those nearby your location to reach more people.
4. Gather necessary equipment.
You can always ask participants to bring their own supplies, but it's always good to have backups on-hand. Some essentials include:
- Sign-in table & chairs
- E-Z Up or beach umbrella to denote where registration takes place
- Pens/pencils, data forms, and cardboard for people to write against
- Box of non-latex gloves (safe for those with allergies), or better yet, a couple dozen inexpensive gardening gloves (washable/reusable)
- Box of disposable masks for those who may forget theirs
- Compostable bags, or consider canvas bags (also washable/reusable) or rice sacks from local restaurants
- One large five-gallon bucket for hazardous waste (one volunteer or organizer can be the designated hazmat collector)
- Drinking water for volunteers - We strongly recommend using a large cooler type water jug and pre-filling water cups to avoid the risk of spreading COVID-19. Volunteers should certainly bring their own water, but we also don't want people to get dehydrated.
- First-aid kit for minor scrapes and nicks (lifeguards or rangers to be contacted for more serious injuries)
- OPTIONAL - Scale to weigh trash. Some data collection agencies appreciate this information. (One technique is using a standard step-on scale with a trash barrel on top. Subtract the weight of the barrel to get the final trash weight.)
Keep inventory of your supplies. If you give out 12 pens, make sure you account for them at the end, even if volunteers go home with them. (Leave the beach cleaner than you found it.) Any reusable gloves and bags can be gathered in a larger bag and washed for later use.
5. Secure a proper disposal site.
You'll likely collect more trash than you imagine. Be sure to have permission from a the beach authorities or the local government to dispose of the garbage in a safe place that can accommodate it.
DURING THE CLEANUP
1. Establish proper social distancing and mask wearing as volunteers gather.
This is critical as the pandemic remains a persistent danger. Have a designated organizer to encourage proper distancing of six feet between household. Ensure that everyone wears a mask.
2. Begin with registration.
At a minimum, ask volunteers for their names and email addresses. This comes into play after the event, when you (the organizer) report your event details to conservation organizations.
Registrations also allows you to pass out data sheets, pens/pencils, cardboard writing surfaces, and bags, gloves, and masks for those who forget them.
Establish a max. time frame (i.e. 1-2 hours) and distance (i.e. Tower 68 and back) for volunteers. Of course, they do not have to stay the full time or cover the full distance before returning their trash, materials, and data cards.
Be sure that people know about the hazardous materials bucket, the spare water, and the first aid supplies, should they need them.
3. Monitor for volunteer safety and questions.
Have one volunteer or organizer circulate with the hazardous materials bucket. Encourage people to pick up all trash, no matter how small. Ensure that everyone leaves natural, biodegradable items, like driftwood, seeds, seaweed, and shells behind.
Watch for fatigue or dehydration. Especially on hot days, you want to make sure that all volunteers have enough water.
4. Take pictures!
Having proof of impact can help persuade future volunteers to participate. You can share photos with those who share their email, and ahead of future events, you can share highlights from the last.
AFTER THE CLEANUP
1. Collect all trash (and weigh if applicable), data sheets, and borrowed materials.
Wear masks and gloves when accepting used materials to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Consider having one box where volunteers can place their used, washable materials and another for their data sheets.
2. Thank participants, and encourage them to spread the word.
These individuals are taking time out of their days to help make the beaches safer and more beautiful for all. Expressing your thanks can go a long way.
Ask them to share their experience on social media, by telling others in their own social circles, and by organizing their own cleanups, no matter the size.
3. Do a sweep of the site before departing.
As the organizer, you should do one final pass of the general registration area. Pick up any stray papers, materials, or trash remnants.
4. Dispose of the trash responsibly.
Before the event, you should have an acceptable, approved disposal location. Ensure that all trash is loaded in a car or pickup bed, and deposit in the designated place.
5. Share your day!
Send a follow-up thank you email to those volunteers who provided their email addresses. One final token of appreciation can inspire others to continue with their own beach cleanup habits.
Consider uploading photos you took as the organizer to a shared Google Drive or Dropbox folder. Include this link in your email so that others can access the day's photos and share them on their own, too.
The Wave
We invite you to join our community, The Wave where we share amazing "ocean magic," helpful beach cleanup tips, and product updates as we work through our research and development process.
Never email trash, just the good stuff.
And next, check out our COVID-19 Safety Tips to keep yourself healthy and safe, no matter how large or small your beach cleanup.
Thank you for being you.