Do you love WA state’s coastal waters? You can volunteer to clean up at April events
Tacoma is no stranger to water contamination and pollution. For decades, tires have been tossed into the Puget Sound, spreading toxic chemicals through the water that’s dangerous to species of fish like coho salmon, according to the Washington State Department of Resources.
Every year, more than a million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, according to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Nature Communications. Oceanic pollution poses significant risk to marine wildlife, ecosystems and humans. More than 800 species of marine life have either been injured, caught illness from or been killed by marine debris, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management.
Litter overall also impacts marine coasts. If you’ve ever been to a beach, you’ve no doubt spotted some kind of empty food container, broken glass, plastic, cigarette butts or other discarded junk.
If you’re passionate about reducing coastal and ocean litter, there are plenty of opportunities in the Puget Sound region to help make a difference. We compiled a list of groups you can volunteer with to support coastal cleanups:
Washington CoastSavers
Washington Clean Coast Alliance, which goes by CoastSavers, is made up of committee members from partner organizations and volunteers who encourage public stewardship of coastal marine environments. The alliance hosts several annual cleanup events each year with Washington State Parks and the National Park Service.
In 2022 alone, 1,175 volunteers removed 61,380 pounds of marine debris across three cleanup events, according to the group’s website.
Upcoming CoastSavers events
The next CoastSavers cleanup event takes place Saturday, April 22. Duties will include collecting beach debris, running volunteer check-in tables and transporting debris to dump sites. Registration is currently open.
Other events in 2023 will be on July 4 and Sept. 16. Cleanups will take place at more than 40 locations. Regions to volunteer at include:
To look for a gathering near you, view the group’s map of available cleanup spots on its website. You can sign up at a site at one of the regions above on their respective event websites. Contact Coordinator@CoastSavers.org about additional questions you may have.
Surfrider Foundation
Surfrider Foundation is a network of coastal defenders with chapters around the world. The Evergreen State has five chapters: Olympia, Olympic Peninsula, Seattle and Northwest Straits. The South Sound chapter is based in the Tacoma area.
Upcoming Surfrider events
The South Sound chapter of Surfrider has open registration for a cleanup event on April 22 at Tacoma’s Commencement Bay from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Seattle’s chapter is hitting the beach at Gas Works Park in Seattle from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the same day.
Washington Scuba Alliance
The Washington Scuba Alliance is a group of diving advocates who aim to preserve and protect marine life. One way the group of scuba divers has protected underwater preserves is through an annual coastal cleanup event.
Upcoming Scuba Alliance events
This year’s event at Point Defiance Boathouse will be held on April 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers can sign up to help with shore cleanup and sorting debris. Divers are also welcome.
Washington State Parks Volunteer Opportunities
The state’s park program has many locations statewide where individuals can volunteer to clean up trash, maintain land and perform other duties to protect the surrounding environment. Currently, volunteers are wanted at Cama Beach and Fort Flager. Both of these sites also have their own dedicated Friend Groups, nonprofit organizations that support their respective park.
Metro Parks Tacoma
Community litter cleanup events are held monthly at Point Defiance Marina at 5912 Waterfront Drive from 9 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month. Community volunteers help clean areas around the park marina, as well as Owen Beach, Promenade and other areas in the park.
Upcoming Metro Parks events
The next Metro Parks cleanup event is Saturday, April 15. Events are already scheduled up through September, and volunteers should sign up in advance on Metro Parks’ website.
