Last month over 23,000 lbs of trash was collected from California beaches in honor of Coastal Cleanup Day – that’s about the weight of two adult killer whales! The California Coastal Commission hosts a Coastal Cleanup Day event every year to help clean up different beaches across California. This year’s event attracted over 9,663 volunteers. Grades of Green joined in on the action at Dockweiler Beach by recruiting UCLA Environmental Law Society students and other Grades of Green supporters. Even Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Lauren S., Penn C., and Carter C. rolled up their sleeves to rid the beach of pollutants.
Grades of Green volunteers mobilized and spent the morning filling up buckets with trash found at the beach. The usual suspects – cigarette butts, plastic straws, and food wrappers – were all collected by volunteers. Similarly, polystyrene pieces, the tiny culprits from foam cups and containers, were found all along the shores of our beautiful beaches. Although it was disheartening to find so much trash in our beaches, we are grateful that so many Grades of Green and other volunteers were inspired to come out and help restore 54 miles of beaches to their natural beauty. Grades of Green volunteers were thanked for their hard work with eco-friendly bathbombs that were donated by Lush.
Are you interested in taking a stand against polystyrene? Click here to learn how you can help reduce polystyrene use in your community. Are you inspired to implement eco-activities in your school or community? Click here to join our webinar on October 12 to learn how you can start an environmental movement at your school or community!
American science educator Bill Nye once said in his book Undeniable, “To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” Grades of Green Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Lila and Sienna followed Bill Nye’s advice by picking up trash at the beach and then teaching peers at their school science expo different ways to reduce waste! Each attendee who decided to take on an environmental pledge related to waste then got to add a leaf to the team’s “eco tree” display. Youth Corps Eco-Leadership students Will and Marty also took on the trash theme by transforming into trash and recycle monsters! Attendees were able to ask the monsters questions about waste and recycling, and learn what an impact they can truly make. Interested in becoming a Youth Corps Eco-Leadership student and taking on an eco-activity like Lila, Sienna, Will, and Marty? Learn more about the program by clicking here. Want to implement some of these eco-activities and more at your school? Click here to register and unlock Grades of Green’s 40+ Activities!