Introducing our Litter Leaderboard!
Preventing plastic pollution in the Salish Sea is a never-ending task. We are so grateful to the wonderful beach and road stewards who dedicate their time towards a Plastic Free Salish Sea. We know you are out there picking up litter from the roadways and beaches, but reporting has fallen to the wayside. We WANT to know what you are out there finding.
For the month of Plastic Free July we are challenging Adopt-a-Beach and Adopt-a-Road Stewards to record as many beach and road clean-ups as possible. Whichever steward spends the most time helping to keep our seas trash free will win a $50 gift card to the New Leaf Cafe at the Outlook in on Orcas Island.
Litter Leaderboard
cleaning (in hours)
cleaned
Why does reporting matter?
- Your data helps further scientific research
- Numbers allow the initiative to receive grants and funding
- Compiled data can influence legislation
- You inspire others to get involved
- Knowing more about the different types and amounts of debris found on a road or beach can be the first step towards prevention.
- Bragging rights
Data tells a story about plastic pollution
The data tells a story about volunteer participation and outreach efforts, and also about long-term trends in plastic pollution. Year after year, more than 80% of litter collected is plastic. By recording your efforts, you are contributing to a database of litter found in the Salish Sea. No single researcher or agency could collect this much information about the types and amount of litter on beaches. Scientists use Adopt-a-Beach data to study the sources of pollution, and this information helps decision makers make the case for policies that protect marine waters.
