Coastal Cleanup Day

Coastal Cleanup Day

International Coastal Cleanup Day is Saturday, September 17! Whether you are part of a group, with your family, or as an individual, make an effort to go outside and make the Cape Cod shore an even better place to be!

On September 17, and all year long, promise to bring cleanliness to nature. Raise awareness for the growing pollution on beaches worldwide. Help make our oceans a healthier and safer place!

The International Coastal Cleanup Day began over 30 years ago in Texas by Linda Maraniss and Kathy O’Hara. Concerned with the large amounts of trash washing up on the beaches, Maraniss and O’Hara decided to start cleaning. The cleanup turned into the world’s largest organized beach cleanup by the Ocean Conservancy. 

Their first cleanup in 1986 was more than a one-day event. They asked volunteers to record every piece of trash they picked up in order to identify sources of debris and create targeted conservation strategies. 

You don’t need training to become a citizen-scientist! Become a trash detective! When you pick something up on the beach, try to identify what it is and where it may have come from. Help out your own community by getting involved in a trash cleanup project or by starting your own! Every small bit helps!

In September 2021, Coastsweep cleanups in Hyannis worked to clean and protect beaches throughout Massachusetts. Coastsweep is a part of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Office of Coastal Zone Management. Coastsweep is the perfect opportunity for individuals to get out and do their part to protect their local natural resources. 

Collected debris can be input into the Ocean Conservancy’s International Marine Debris Database to help reduce worldwide marine debris. 

Interested in participating in a public Coastsweep cleanup? On 9/17, join volunteers in cleaning up South Village Beach in West Dennis. Clean up Sandy Neck Beach Park Front Beach in Barnstable on 9/18. In October, clean up Wellfleet Harbor in Wellfleet and Frost Fish Creek and Muddy Creek in Chatham on 10/10! Visit the schedule for more information!