SOLVE Needs Volunteers for Oregon Coast Beach Cleanup, Sept 29

Published 09/17/2018 at 2:17 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Oregon Coast) – The massive fall cleaning of the Oregon coast begins soon.

The SOLVE Beach and Riverside Cleanup takes place on Saturday, September 29, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery. SOLVE invites all Oregonians to help remove invasive plants and clean up hundreds of miles of beaches, rivers, and city streets before fall rains wash litter and debris into storm drains and out to sea.

It all runs 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (though times may vary by project).

This annual, family-friendly event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup and National Public Lands Day. Since 1984, over 130,000 volunteers have removed an astounding 1.7 million pounds of litter and marine debris from project sites across Oregon and the Oregon coast.

It all began that year under the banner Solve Oregon Litter and Vandalism, and went by SOLV for decades until recent years.

This will be the 35th annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup, utilizing an estimated 5,000 people around Oregon – some of whom are not even from the state. They arrive from neighboring states to help out. On the Oregon coast alone, this event includes over 45 cleanup sites, and a total of 115 hands-on volunteer litter cleanup and restoration events across the state.

How to get involved?

Go to solve.org and find your favorite project, then sign up on the website. All supplies and instructions will be provided by project leaders the morning of the event. To help make the event more sustainable, litter cleanup volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves, bucket, and water bottle to reduce the use of plastic.

Organizers said that Oregon wildlife, water and even the economy are threatened by litter, as cigarette butts, plastic, and other trash get washed into storm drains, leading directly to rivers and streams. There, they cause water pollution and are often deadly to fish and wildlife who think the object is food. In addition, non-native invasive plants like English ivy crowd out native plants, reducing habitat for many animals.

It’s volunteers who can make the difference, according to the organization's partner, the Oregon Lottery.

"Whether you're kayaking down a river, camping at the Coast or having a picnic at one of Oregon's many parks, you can't help but feel fortunate to live in such a beautiful state," said Lottery Director Barry Pack. "SOLVE's Beach & Riverside Cleanup gives thousands of Oregonians the opportunity to help preserve that beauty."

"I encourage you to get together with family, friends and co-workers on Saturday, September 29 to volunteer at one of 100 SOLVE project sites across the state. Be a part of helping SOLVE make this year's Beach & Riverside Cleanup a success. Sign up to volunteer today at solveoregon.org."

Last time around, during the spring cleanup, common items found during the event were tiny bits of plastic, cigarette butts, bottle caps, and food wrappers, which can be harmful to both marine life and shorebirds.

The cleanup always yields some odd and amusing finds. Unique items found by volunteers along the Oregon coast included a full bottle of wine at Nehalem Bay, several broken chairs and fenders at Sand Lake, a bag for golf clubs at Yaquina Bay, long crab line at Agate Beach, and a complete barbecue set at Netarts Bay.

In addition to litter on the beach, some of the debris removed that had washed in from the ocean following winter storms and tides. Items ranged from fishing rope, crates, and buoys to glass and plastic bottles.

During the spring cleanup, around 15,000 pounds of debris was hauled away. The fall cleanup before that one, in 2017, yielded an astounding 37,000 pounds of debris. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

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