This September-November, Save The Bay is calling on volunteers to be the change and #SeaTheChange as part of Ocean Conservancy’s 38th International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC), the world’s largest volunteer effort to remove and record trash from local lakes, waterways, beaches and the ocean.
“With each piece of trash we collect, we see the difference we can have in our environment,” said July Lewis, Save The Bay’s Volunteer and Internship Manager. “As we officially kick off this year’s efforts this Saturday, September 16, we invite volunteers from across the state to join us to #SeaTheChange.”
When local volunteers participate in the Rhode Island ICC effort, they contribute to the world’s largest database on marine debris by recording data about the trash they collect and submitting it to the Ocean Conservancy. Scientists, researchers, industry leaders and policymakers rely on Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Trash Index and annual global cleanup reports to inform policy and determine solutions to the growing marine debris crisis.
Every year, millions of tons of trash—including an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste—flow into the ocean, impacting more than 800 marine species and even entering the food chain. Since the first ICC in 1986, more than 17 million volunteers have joined cleanup efforts big and small to remove over 350 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways worldwide. In 2022, 2,465 Rhode Island volunteers collected and recorded 22,655 pounds of trash from around Narragansett Bay and along state waters. Top items included cigarette butts, small pieces of foam and plastic, and food packaging.
“Plastic pollution is a massive problem for our ocean, but together, our actions can make a big difference,” said Allison Schutes, director of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. “I’ve seen the impact that volunteers make firsthand through thousands of cleanups: no matter where you are, every bottle, every straw, every piece of trash you collect as part of the International Coastal Cleanup connects you to a global movement for a clean ocean. We are so grateful for the efforts of Save The Bay and all the Rhode Island volunteers, and we look forward to another successful year.”
The ICC officially kicks off on Saturday, September 16, and Save The Bay has organized more than three dozen group cleanups around Narragansett Bay throughout the season. Individuals may also participate on their own by downloading the Clean Swell app and picking up trash any time they see it along the shore. Learn more about or sign up for Save The Bay’s ICC cleanups on the organization’s Volunteer Portal at volunteer.savebay.org/
To learn more about last year’s ICC effort in Rhode Island, including details regarding the litter collected, download the 2022 ICC Report by clicking here. The Ocean Conservancy’s 2023 global report, featuring 2022 data, is now available for download here.
Organizations and individuals looking to learn more about leading their own ICC cleanup should contact July Lewis at jlewis@savebay.org.
Rhode Island’s International Coastal Cleanup effort is made possible in part by Save The Bay’s event sponsors, including: Citizens Bank; Balise Subaru; Rhode Island Energy; Arbella Insurance Foundation; UNFI; Rhode Island Turnpike & Bridge Foundation; New England Revolution; Rexel Energy Solutions; Cox Communications; Chisholm, Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD; Fuss & O’Neil; Victoria Calabro, Century 21 Shoreline Properties; Nucar; DBVW Architects; Carpionato Group; Rhode Races & Events; Locke Lord; F.L. Putnam Investment Management Company; Starkweather & Shepley; Kite Architects; Sunflower Design; BayCoast Bank; Centreville Savings Bank; Bel-Aire Electronic Air Cleaners; Coastal1 Credit Union; Duffy & Sweeney, LTD; Water Scents; Diageo Brands; Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Roy Carpenter’s Beach, Matunuck Beach Properties, Inc.; Narragansett Bay Insurance Co.; Mott & Chace, Sotheby’s International Realty; Blaeser Insurance; and Sweenor Builders, Inc.
