Tackling Rubbish Across Seas & Habitats Community Cleanup
Cleaning up the world, one sea & habitat at a time!
Proudly sponsored by
Proudly sponsored by
About
Seaside Sustainability’s new “Tackling Rubbish Across Seas & Habitats” (T.R.A.S.H) community cleanup program is an innovative new initiative that brings communities together to take care of their local environment. By committing to regularly cleaning up areas, participants can not only contribute to a cleaner and safer ecosystem but also foster a sense of pride and connection to their neighborhood.
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Program Overview
What is the program?
This global volunteer-based initiative unites citizens, enhances clean-up efforts, and makes them into fun, collaborative efforts that build community and actionable environmental stewardship.
How does this program work?
Seaside’s website now features an interactive landing page offering accessible participant registration, a GIS map displaying teams around the world, and a data form connected to the GIS map.
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The T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup program is open to individuals, groups, clubs, teams, and families. Participants can easily join a team or register a new team by “adopting” an area (park, neighborhood, block, school, beach, river, harbor, etc.) through the GIS map where their team’s pin will be displayed or signing up here.
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Teams agree to perform at least one clean-up every two months, and commit to an extended period of time. However, Seaside will conduct constant outreach to encourage participants and teams to adopt a more frequent cleanup cadence.
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Once a cleanup is completed, team leaders will submit their T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup results form either through the link or the GIS map. This form includes information such as who the participants and “Team Leaders” are, weight and amount of trash collected, interesting and engaging photos of them during the cleanup, and an open response section where people can write any additional information such as the weirdest item found or the most type of an item collected.
To further help Seaside Sustainability collect data and complete waste audits, participants have the option of using the Ocean Conservancy Ocean Trash Data Form to keep track of each litter item and then submit their data to this Little Green Light Form. This is not mandatory- but it is highly encouraged!
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The engaging and interactive T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup GIS map will display team pictures and videos, team information like team leaders and members, adoption area, contact information, as well as collected trash amounts and weights, and debris inventories from each team. Teams can choose to add as much content as they desire!
There is no registration fee to participate! Volunteers can elect to purchase essential materials at whatever quantities through our T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup order form, such as Seaside vests, grabbers, and T-shirts in addition to gloves and bags.
More Info
Adopter Responsibilities
When you adopt through Seaside Sustainability, you are responsible for keeping your area clean to the curb. Our T.R.A.S.H program aims to make these clean-up activities fun and collaborative, fostering community spirit and an enhanced local environment while inspiring your neighbors, friends, families, and colleagues to join in or adopt areas around their local schools, beaches, streets, roads, arches - or workplaces too!
Adopter responsibilities should include:
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Keeping the exterior of both personal and public property free of litter
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Removal of loose litter from along fences and wall bases, grassy and planted areas, curbs, borders, embankments, and other lodging points.
How to participate:
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Decide what area(s) you wish to adopt.
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Check Seaside Sustainability’s Esri GIS map below to see if your potential areas are available. If your preferred area is already adopted, you can always create or join a cleanup team that previously claimed the area. Select your block and fill out the sign-up form.
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Always check with your local policies and guidelines when deciding to partake.
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Ask for permission and or advise local government/proper people about adoption plans.
Clean-up Details
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Participants can either use their gloves and bags or order clean-up materials through our “T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup Order Form”.
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Fill out and submit the “T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup Results” Form at the end of your clean-up. This form requires information such as number of trash cans filled and total pounds of trash collected. There is also an open response section where you can share with us additional information, such as the most common types of litter found, and the most unusual item found.
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To further assist us in collecting data and completing waste audits, participants are encouraged to use the Ocean Conservancy Ocean Trash Data Form to track each litter item. Afterward, they can submit their data via this Little Green Light Form. While this is not mandatory, it is highly encouraged!
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Please make use of your residential garbage, recycling, and bulk collection services to dispose of solid waste collected. Bulk items that are too large or heavy to fit into bags should be placed at the curb (not on the street).
Supplies
Participants can either use their gloves and bags or order clean-up materials through our “T.R.A.S.H Community Cleanup Order Form”. The discounted prices on each item are brought to you by the generous donation of The Hooper Fund. As Seaside Sustainability is not seeking to make a profit, the prices are donation-based. Once you input the items, quantity, and size you want, the form will ask if you would like to add a donation to Seaside, as well as your name, full address, phone number, email, and payment information. The items Seaside Sustainability has available for purchase are shown below:
Safety Guidelines
*While we can provide essential safety protocols, it is crucial for all volunteers to always practice their best judgment and discretion as each cleanup event will present its own set of unique challenges and circumstances. Remember, being flexible, vigilant, and looking out for your neighbors will ensure a better experience for everyone!*
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Use the buddy system, and let someone know the location you will be cleaning up. Always stay together by working in teams of at least two
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Adult supervision is required if youth are involved in clean-ups
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Unless it is a service animal or an emotional support animal, please refrain from bringing your pets to cleanups
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Only perform clean-ups during daylight hours
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Gear up appropriately for the weather and environment - use sturdy gloves, closed-toe shoes, long apparel, and safety vests to stay visible and protected
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Refrain from wearing music headsets or other distractions to remain alert and ready to respond to traffic
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Stay hydrated to avoid overexertion, sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration
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Wear and reapply sunscreen diligently to prevent skin irritation
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Each group should have access to a first-aid kit, as well as know the nearest hospital and know how to get there in an emergency
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Please face oncoming traffic at all times. Stay alert and be prepared to move in case of an emergency
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Avoid holes or other obstacles; stay off steep slopes
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Be mindful of native wildlife; keep a safe distance - do not touch or pick up dead animals, or attempt to move injured animals
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Watch out for bees, wasps, poisonous plants, and other potential natural hazards. Always look before stepping!
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In parks and natural areas, follow all posted signage, stay on trails, and limit activities to areas open to the public
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Do not pick up or disturb natural objects, such as leaves, nests, or eggs
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Do not interact with hazardous items (i.e. condoms, broken glass, syringes, weapons, etc.) that could cause injury unless you have the proper equipment and training to do so
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Volunteers should not try to lift anything too heavy – when in doubt, don’t try it!
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Do not remove anything you are uncomfortable with
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If you find bottles while cleaning up and they have liquid inside, do not dump them out, as it could be harmful to the environment. Keep it closed and sealed
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If you clean up a local beach or waterway, be mindful of the current conditions (such as high tide, sneaker wave warnings, etc.), and be careful near the water's edge
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Alcoholic beverages and intoxicated participants are always prohibited during clean-ups
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Please avoid any fenced-off areas due to safety and trespassing guidelines, and do not enter any unhoused encampments or remove items that may be part of an encampment
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Please check the air quality in your area and if it is unhealthy, reschedule your cleanup for another day!
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Have fun and remember, safety first!
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After the Clean-up
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Dispose properly. Avoid leaving your bags near a garbage can, as animals can get into them and make an even bigger mess! Figure out what your town does with the trash and make sure that what you've collected goes to the proper recycling or waste management center. Wash or dispose of gloves immediately after your cleanup.
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Wash your hands. If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
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Say thanks. Share photos and other details with Seaside Sustainability, like how much trash you bagged and recycled from your area.
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Get social. Take photos of your cleanups and share them with the squad! We'd love to see you in action so tag us on Instagram.
Check out our “10 Tips for Staying Safe at Community Cleanups” video down below:
Seaside Sustainability’s T.R.A.S.H Talk - Why Community Cleanups are Important!
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Plastic is harmful because…
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It can take decades to centuries to decompose depending on the type of plastic in question. Most photodegradable plastics (broken down by light) turn into microplastics (North Atlantic Garbage Patch – North Atlantic Ocean - Atlas Obscura)
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They can serve as transportation for invasive species entering new regions (Subías-Baratau, Arnau et al., 2022)
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If you share a passion for making your community better and would like to enlist our PixieDrone for a marine debris cleanup initiative, please fill out the PixieDrone Interest Form below. Alternatively, feel free to reach out to us at cleancoastcoalition@seasidesustainability.org
to discuss the possibility of bringing the PixieDrone to your location for a cleanup.
If you wish to support our upcoming projects through sponsorship or contribute toward our efforts to acquire the BeBot or Collec’Thor, please fill out the Clean Coast Coalition Sponsorship Form and the Clean Coast Coalition Donation Form below. Feel free to also reach out to us at cleancoastcoalition@seasidesustainability.org for more information.
10 Actions that can be taken to combat coastal trash:
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Demand plastic-free alternatives
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Say no to single-use plastics (bags, straws, cutlery, water bottles, etc.)
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Reduce your carbon footprint
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Turn off the lights
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Ride a bike and use public transport rather than driving a car
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Eat sustainably caught wild seafood (less CO2 than land-based proteins)
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Avoid ocean-harming products
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Avoid products that are directly linked to harming endangered/threatened species
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Don't purchase souvenir shells/other animals, or products containing shark squalane
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Eat sustainable seafood
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Add small, oily fish to diets
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Refer to top chefs for sustainable recipes
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Vote on ocean issues
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Elect public officials who support sustainable ocean policies
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Do your research
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Contact representatives and lawmakers
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It’s up to constituents like you to make lawmakers aware of the crisis facing marine habitats
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Explore the oceans
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“People protect what they love” - Jacques-Yves Cousteau
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Leave nothing behind
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Make sure to clean up after yourself when enjoying the beaches/outdoors
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Share your ocean heroics with friends, family, and coworkers
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Spread the word on petitions, share facts, and join the conversations on social media
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Join groups that want to save the oceans
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Example: Oceana, they have protected over 4 million square miles of ocean
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Photo: Oregon State University, License CC-BY-SA
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Due to the circulation of currents, more marine debris washes up on some beaches compared to others. These heavily littered beaches are known as catcher beaches (source: NOAA).
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Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA
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The most common items found by the international coastal cleanup 2020 from order to most to least common are: food wrappers, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, straws and stirrers, plastic cups and plates, plastic grocery bags, takeout containers, plastic lids, other plastic bags
Photo: Seaside Sustainability
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Most valuable trash found in the Gulf of Maine: (source: Marine debris field guide)
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Explosive shock tubing: Thin, plastic tubing (usually yellow) of any length, used to conduct underwater blasting work in the Boston Harbor dredging project.
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Hooksett disks: Round, white plastic biofilters released into the Merrimack River from an NH wastewater treatment plant in 2011. May be found whole or in pieces.
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Lobster trap ID tags: Rigid plastic bands in various colors, each stamped with unique information (year of issue, license #, state, fishing zone).
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Eel Trap Entrance Cones & Barrels: Black, tapered, plastic cones fitted into barrel traps.
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Photo: Center of Coastal Studies
Photo: Blue Ocean Society
Photo: Surfrider Foundation, Kauai
Photo: Rik Bennett