PUBLIC CLEANUPS
The Surfrider Foundation Los Angeles chapter (SFLA) hosts public beach cleanups each month at various locations throughout LA County. Through our beach cleanup program we help volunteers understand the impacts of our throwaway society and a convenience culture built on single-use plastics. An estimated 10 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean each year, the equivalent of one garbage truck load per minute. While we cannot clean ourselves out of the plastic pollution pandemic, our beach cleanups serve to raise awareness and inspire individuals to adopt upstream solutions to stop plastic waste at the source, primarily through everyday consumer choices and legislative advocacy. Ready to show your coast some love? Check out our events calendar for information on our next cleanup.
CORPORATE CLEANUPS
SFLA also hosts corporate sponsored cleanups. For a tax-deductible donation, the SFLA team will plan and facilitate a company beach cleanup for you and your coworkers. SFLA will procure the necessary permits and insurance, and provides all equipment from gloves to bags to hand sanitizer, sunscreen and alkaline water. At least three weeks notice is required and companies are welcome to select the date, time, and location for the event. For more information contact Sarah Plenge at: splenge@la.surfrider.org
SAFELY GOING SOLO
In light of COVID-19 and the necessary restrictions on large public gatherings we have modified our beach cleanup program to support individuals and families that are interested in conducting solo beach cleanups while adhering to LA County Public Health guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Participation in a solo cleanup event is voluntary and solely at a participant’s own risk, including risk associated with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Individuals should only participate to the extent that they can comply with applicable federal, state, and local rules and restrictions, and Surfrider’s guidelines.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Mask / face covering
- Gloves and / or trash picker
- Bag(s) and / or buckets for collection
- Hand-held scale for weighing (optional)
- Data Sheet – download English or Spanish version
- Hand sanitizer
THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA COLLECTION
For years Surfrider chapters have collected and analyzed data from thousands of cleanups across the country. This data is critical in helping us leverage policy decisions that create upstream solutions to plastic pollution. While it may seem tedious, accounting for each piece of trash collected and reporting it to Surfrider is just as important as removing from the beach. There are several ways to make data collection easy:
- Tally as you go
- Partner with a friend – while one cleans the other tallies
- Tally at the end of your cleanup before disposal
