Keep Martin Beautiful encourages residents to join the International Coastal Cleanup locally

As the end of summer approaches, Keep Martin Beautiful, a local environmental, volunteer-based nonprofit, looks ahead to one of the largest and most impactful events of the year: the International Coastal Cleanup. With Keep Martin Beautiful serving as the local coordinator, Martin County residents have participated in this unique, global event for more than 25 years. Volunteers from around the world unite to remove litter and marine debris from shorelines and waterways. This year’s cleanup will take place at beaches and waterways throughout Martin County on Saturday, September 17 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Spearheaded globally by the Ocean Conservancy, the International Coastal Cleanup has had a significant impact in the 35+ years since its inception. Since 1986, the event has inspired over 17 million volunteers to take action and collect more than 348 million pounds of trash from around the world. Just last year, hundreds of thousands of volunteers from over 150 countries participated. This is an incredible opportunity for those in our local area to be a part of this global movement.

What Volunteers Need to Know

• The International Coastal Cleanup targets beaches, waterways, and parks throughout Martin County.
• Pre-registration is required to ensure volunteers are assigned to areas most in need.
• An app is available to track the litter from the cleanup. The unique data-gathering feature of this cleanup records every piece of litter collected.
• Volunteers should wear closed toe shoes.
• Participants will be provided with cleanup supplies and a T-shirt (while supplies last).

“Our waterways are the lifeblood of our community, and our volunteers are the heart of our organization. It’s their energy and commitment to the International Coastal Cleanup that makes such a tangible difference in our community,” explained Keep Martin Beautiful executive director, Tiffany Kincaid. “We are so thankful for the hard work put forward by our residents to create a more beautiful environment and county.”

Volunteers must pre-register online so event coordinators can monitor site distribution and prepare supplies prior to the event. To ensure their cleanup efforts are fully recognized, our volunteers are encouraged to download and use the CleanSwell™ app. This user-friendly app allows volunteers to easily track the litter they collect and report it to the global database. The numbers from the app are used by scientists and professionals from Ocean Conservancy to analyze patterns across the world.

The International Coastal Cleanup is also a great opportunity for environmentally minded businesses and other supporters to show their commitment to our natural environment and our community. Sponsors receive significant exposure through our social media platforms, digital marketing and promotion of the event, as well as inclusion of their company logo on volunteer T-shirts. For sponsorship info contact Keep Martin Beautiful at 772-781-1222 or  info@keepmartinbeautiful.org. You can also click here to go directly to our website. 

To register for the cleanup, go to keepmartinbeautiful.org/international-coastal-cleanup.

About Keep Martin Beautiful

Keep Martin Beautiful (KMB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization founded in 1994 as an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Its mission is to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Martin County through litter prevention, the promotion of recycling, improvement of solid waste management practices, and beautification and community revitalization activities. KMB signature events and programs include the Environmental Stewardship Awards, the International Coastal Cleanup, the Great American Cleanup, the Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Street programs, as well as other educational and outreach activities. Find KMB on Facebook at facebook.com/KeepMartinBeautiful, follow KMB on Twitter at twitter.com/KMBmartin, visit KeepMartinBeautiful.org or call 772-781-1222.