This year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day in Washington was a success - chapters, groups, agencies, and individuals across the state hit up their local beaches to clean up debris and have a good time. Decked out with gloves, buckets, and determination, we tackled the debris littering the coastline, leaving the shores cleaner and safer for wildlife and visitors alike.
I had the good fortune to spend this year’s ICC in Ocean Shores, helping the Grays Harbor Chapter at their usual spot at the Chance a la Mer beach access. Unlike the war zone chaos that is July 5th, our September cleanups tend to be far more chill out on the Pacific Coast. We also find far less debris due to ocean currents and wind patterns. Nevertheless, we still pulled in thousands of pounds of trash, including a significant amount of leftover fireworks.
Whenever possible, we sort, count, and weigh the trash removed from our beaches - these data go into our database and are used to advocate for policy solutions to common items found.
The ICC is a global event organized by the Ocean Conservancy of which Surfrider is but one of many organizations participating. Here in Washington, a special shout-out goes to the Pacific 4WD Association, whose Operation Shore Patrol has been keeping our beaches clean for over 50 years! And of course, no coastal cleanup happens without the coordination and support of WA Coastsavers, WA State Parks, and the various groups, agencies, and municipalities. High fives all around!
Here at Surfrider, we’re all about enjoying the places we protect, and a great example of that was our post-cleanup potluck dinner and surf sesh. The waves weren’t great, but we emerged from the frigid waters as stoked as ever. Shout out to the Grays Harbor Chapter and Ocean Shores Senior Surf Club for embodying our mission and values (and peer-pressuring me to get in the water).
Some post-cleanup enjoyment - nothing like some potluck tacos, a few waves, and a solid sunset to round out a day at the beach.
Returning home from the beach, tired but fulfilled, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to all the humans who show up to protect what they love. Beach cleanups are not just one-day events - they are calls to action and powerful reminders that we can make an impact. One of the ways we leverage cleanups to create change is by collecting data that we use to advocate for policy solutions. In this upcoming legislative session, we’ll once again be working on source-reduction policies that, if passed, will stop plastic packaging from being created in the first place, thus preventing it from littering our beaches. Stay in touch for more info about policies we're working on in 2025.