Beach clean-ups are one of the most important actions that help the environment. Most Earth Days of every year, people gather on beaches across the country and help collect garbage along the coastline. This action helps to protect marine life, the environment along the beach removes toxic chemicals from the water, and much more.

Beaches have become more polluted over the years. People have been careless and leave trash on the sand and in the water. This leads to more marine life deaths and pollution. Beach clean-ups help to improve the quality of the beaches, ocean, and individuals who go to relax. Joanne Mason, an elementary school teacher, says, “Beaches are in need of some good help. People need to be more aware of their surroundings and more mindful about how they can affect the environment with their careless actions.”

Beach clean-ups are a last line of defense to prevent debris from causing harm to the ocean’s wildlife, coastal economies, and even beach-goers. Thousands of marine animals worldwide have been affected by plastic pollution, including sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. Therefore, Beach clean-ups are vital to helping solve the problem caused by ocean debris and the danger that plastic pollution poses to marine life.

How to help out:
– Bring trash bags
– Have a first aid kit handy
– Hand sanitizer
– Shovels
– Gloves
– Plenty of wipes

Helping to clean up beaches plays a big part in saving marine life and beachgoers’ lives. Cleanups help provide a safer environment along the beach. Joanne Mason, an elementary school teacher, said, “Beach cleanups have a ripple effect on the beach. Litter can cause diseases, as we do not know people’s sicknesses or diseases. I believe that beach cleanups should happen year round so that the animals have a better environment and so will the people.”