FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 17, 2015
MEDIA CONTACT
Kathryn Davis, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, (206) 297-7002
Puget Soundkeeper leads regional efforts for the International Coastal Cleanup project, coordinating cleanups all month thanks to the support of Waterkeeper Alliance and the SPLASH Series presented nationally by Toyota and with local partnership from Brown Bear Car Wash.
Seattle, WA – On September 19, hundreds of people at Alki Beach and Centennial Park will participate in the 30th annual International Coastal Cleanup, the world’s largest single day volunteer effort to clean up our beaches, lakes and rivers.
Ocean trash compromises the health of humans, wildlife, and the economies that depend on a healthy ocean. It’s one of the biggest threats to the health of our waterways, yet it’s an entirely preventable problem. The best way to keep plastic and other trash out of the water is to stop it at the source, and the Ocean Conservancy, Soundkeeper and other groups are working daily on this issue.
Every piece of trash volunteers find will be tracked and included in an annual index of global marine debris to be released in 2016. Last year, volunteers collected over 16 million pounds of trash from shorelines around the world. The data collected at ICC events provides information that can inform policy solutions and identify target areas where preventative solutions can make the biggest difference.
ICC events also raise local awareness and bring together people and organizations who care about the health of our waterways.
“Seeing kids out there at a cleanup is one of my favorite things,” said Puget Soundkeeper Stewardship Coordinator Kathryn Davis. “They have so much enthusiasm for this mission and you know they’re going to grow up with an awareness of the trash problem and what they can do to help. They give us a lot of hope for the future.”
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Puget Soundkeeper is a citizen advocacy group whose mission is to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound. Established in 1984, Soundkeeper is a founding member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance.
Thanks to the support of Waterkeeper Alliance and Toyota, with local support from Brown Bear Car Wash, Soundkeeper is able to support participation in the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup throughout September and October as part of the Waterkeeper Alliance SPLASH Series presented by Toyota, a national program that helps local citizens prepare their waterways for recreation, then brings communities onto the waterway to swim, kayak, fish and play!