Friends of South Walton Sea Turtles, (FOSWST) in partnership with Walton County Tourism, will once again host the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) on Saturday, September 16, 2023. Registration Opens at 8:45 a.m. with Beach Cleanup beginning at 9 a.m. and running until 11 a.m.
International Coastal Cleanup is a worldwide event sponsored by Ocean Conservancy; they engage countries around the globe to organize citizens from large cities to small villages in the cleanup of their oceans, gulfs, lakes, and river beaches. Walton County is one of these coastal areas and has the opportunity to participate with millions across the globe to clean up the coastline and prevent debris from polluting Gulf waters.
The Volunteer Beach Ambassador Team invites all community members and visitors to the Emerald Coast to join in their efforts “with little pomp and circumstance but rather with a heart for serving our community and our beautiful coastal environment.” Please consider joining us at this event for the greater good of Walton County and the health of the marine and bird life that make the Gulf of Mexico their home. FOSWST is asking: Will you join us? Can we count on you?
The “Friends” will be hosting clean-ups at five Regional Beach Accesses (look for the Coastal Cleanup flags):
- Inlet Beach Regional Access, 438 S Orange St., Inlet Beach
- Santa Clara Regional Access, 3468 E Co Hwy 30A, Seagrove
- Ed Walline Regional Access, 4447 W Co Hwy 30A, Gulf Place
- Dune Allen Regional Access, 5999 W Co Hwy 30A, Dune Allen
- Miramar Beach Regional Access, 2375 Scenic Gulf Dr., Miramar Beach
“We encourage and welcome locals, private homeowners, and condo/resort Homeowner Associations to join us and organize a cleanup on their private properties,’ says FOSWST founder and president, Beth Coppedge.
Participants may choose to record their collection data on paper cards provided at each site or by using the Clean Swell App on a Smart device: http://oceanconservancy.org/clean-swell-faq/. All participants are encouraged to provide their own trash bags or buckets, gloves, hats, sunscreen, water bottles, etc. There will be limited bags/gloves available for those without.
In past years, Walton County residents and visitors have turned out in large numbers to support the cleaning of our beaches and subsequently the Gulf during the International Coastal Cleanup. Each piece of debris collected is one more piece of trash saved from our ocean systems.
“Ocean trash and plastic pollution are huge threats facing our oceans, marine life, and beaches,” says Coppedge. “International Coastal Cleanup Day is an opportunity to educate residents and visitors about global Clean the Seas initiatives and demonstrate Walton County’s commitment to protecting not only our sea turtles but maintaining the pristine beauty of our sugary white sandy beaches for generations to come.”
Information about where ICC events occur and the type of trash collected are communicated to the Ocean Conservancy’s TIDES database. This trash Information and data is used for education and local, national, and worldwide actions and solutions to the ever-growing ocean trash problem.
In 2022, 265 Walton County volunteers participated, and cleaned 35.35 miles of beach, collecting 4,293 items. The Top Ten Items Collected included over 800 cigarette butts along with many plastic straws and stirrers.
We hope you join the Walton County community in their participation in the world’s largest volunteer effort on behalf of ocean health.
Visit www.oceanconservancy.org for more information. Tag your relevant social media posts with #Seathechange to help spread the word.
Author: Sowal Editor
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