For the past 30 years, volunteers around the world have come together to keep our beaches and shorelines clean during International Coastal Cleanup.
Since its inception, over 16 million volunteers have collected more than 340 million pounds of trash.
Usually held on the third Saturday of September, the event has become an annual tradition in many Florida counties, beach towns and Florida's state parks.
Veterans of ICC events will remember the paper sheets used to count what kinds of items were collected. These sheets were used as a kind of global citizen science to help Ocean Conservancy count and track data on ocean pollution. But now, ICC is going digital!
It is easier than ever for volunteers to track and record trash collection, organize beach cleanups with family and friends and monitor progress in real time. You can access these features through the Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell App.
The Clean Swell App allows you to keep the oceans healthy every time you are at a beach, rather than waiting for one day a year.
International Coastal Cleanup may be changing, but you can still help keep our beaches clean.
- Many parks will continue to host in-person events this year. If you are interested in participating in a beach cleanup, visit our events page to find a park near you, and bring your friends along.
- You can also start your own beach cleanup traditions. With a few simple supplies, you can give back to the parks and help maintain our coastal waterways as often as you like, setting your own pace and creating patterns for future generations.
- Sign up to be a volunteer and support your favorite state parks with cleanups and other vital projects.
This article was published in the Real Florida ℠ Connection, the Florida State Parks e-newsletter. Sign up to get updates and stories from your state parks the first week of every month.
