Beach & Riverside Cleanup

SOLVE cleanup in action.\Photo by Sara Schreiber.

The time is approaching for SOLVE’s annual fall cleanup of our ocean shores and river banks.  On Saturday, Sept. 21, as many as 30,000 volunteers will turn out all over Oregon to pick up litter (an anticipated quarter-million pounds or so) from beaches and other natural areas.  There are more than 100 cleanup and restoration projects planned around the state for this day; there are 45 coastal cleanup sites.  The projects generally are planned from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., although this may vary at particular sites.

This year, SOLVE is working to reduce debris created by the cleanup itself. In order to reduce the number of single-use bags and gloves used during our cleanup events you are asked to bring your own bucket or reusable bag for collecting trash, along with your own work gloves, reducing the need for disposable vinyl gloves. And lastly, bring your own water bottle to help you stay hydrated.

Started in 1984, the SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, an annual worldwide effort to keep beaches and waterways clean and healthy. Every piece of trash you pick up will contribute to this important global effort. Download the Clean Swell app and help to track litter data during SOLVE litter cleanup events. You can also use a paper data card, which will be available at most cleanup sites. International Coastal Cleanup volunteers from around the world will be compiling data from their projects as well.

Find more information on the day’s events, and to sign up as a volunteer, go here. 

If you would be interested in taking a further step to help clean up the beaches, consider becoming a Beach Captain and support Zone Captains by helping to hand out supplies and orientate volunteers. Areas that need captains include beaches around Newport and Reedsport.   

For general project questions contact Program Coordinator Jon Schmidt at jon@solveoregon.org or (971) 346-2703.  For questions about volunteering contact Outreach & Communications Coordinator Larissa Gordon at larissa@solveoregon.org or (503) 943-2835.