Come clean up the Manayunk Canal and towpath ahead of the Flat Rock Dam opening. This dam will divert water from the Schuylkill River back into the canal to improve water quality in our region.
Come celebrate World Oceans Day by cleaning up Marine Park with our partners United by Blue, Jamaica Bay Rockaway Parks Conservancy, Marine Park Alliance, GreenFi, and Tiny Spoon Chef. We will come together to help preserve the health and beauty of the largest park in Brooklyn, Marine Park.
We partnered with MAYO to organize a community cleanup to clear away the debris built up over the winter. By reducing the flow of plastic and other pollutants into the ocean, we can help maintain the beauty of our beaches and protect the marine environment.
We are supporting the Trash Derby presented by the National Marine Sanctuary in the Florida Keys on Friday. Come join us in, on, or under the water.
Come participate in the International Plastic Pellet Count with United by Blue, Debris Free Oceans, Miami Waterkeeper, and GreenFi.
The International Plastic Pellet Count is a chance for individuals and organizations to go to their local waterways, look for plastic pellet pollution, and record what they find, so we can all have a better understanding of where this pollution is happening and make the case for action.
📍 Location: Historic Virginia Key Beach
📅 Date: Saturday, May 3
⏰ Time: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Come celebrate Earth Month with United by Blue and California State Parks Department.
We will come together to help preserve the health and beauty of Bolsa Chica State Beach by removing plastics from a beach adjacent to a critical bird nesting habitat.
Celebrate Earth Month with Heal the Bay and United By Blue at an extra special Nothin’ But Sand Beach Clean Up! Join us for a day of action, education, and community impact.
📍 Location: Santa Monica Pier Tower 1550
📅 Date: Saturday, April 19
⏰ Time: 10 AM – 12 PM
Sign up below to show your interest and let us know where to come.
We’ll keep you updated with all the details.
Ocean pollution is undeniably one of the most pressing issues of our time. The overwhelming amount of plastic in our waterways is polluting our beaches, choking our wildlife and contaminating our drinking water. We are committed to making a tangible impact, so we confront ocean trash in the most direct way we know how: by getting our hands dirty and removing it from the waterways. By mobilizing the community to join us, we aim to not only rid our shorelines of litter, but also to inspire individuals to live less wasteful lives.
Your health and well-being are our top priorities at every cleanup. Here’s how we keep events safe for everyone:
For more information on our safety policies, check out our FAQ section below.
Our Reusable DIY Cleanup Kit includes all the tools you need to organize your own cleanup anytime.
Cleanup FAQ
We provide all cleanup supplies, including trash/recycling bags and gloves. We also provide water, sunscreen, bug spray, and hand sanitizer. At community cleanup events, volunteers will receive a free stainless steel water bottle.
We recommend wearing long pants and closed-toe shoes to our cleanups. You are welcome to bring your own trash-picker if you’d like!
Of course! Our reusable, communal cleanup supplies are industrially cleaned between uses, however, we welcome volunteers to bring their own supplies (thick gloves, trash bags, etc.) if they feel more comfortable doing so.
Unless specified in the event description, we welcome all ages and abilities at our cleanup events. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian pre-register for the cleanup on their behalf ahead of time in order to sign our Minor Waiver, or, come to the cleanup accompanied by a parent or guardian. For volunteers under the age of 14, we ask that a parent/guardian attend the cleanup with the Minor regardless.
If you have questions/concerns regarding the accessibility of the cleanup location, please reach out to bailey@unitedbyblue.com prior to the event to discuss accommodations.
Before each cleanup, we determine the safest and most sustainable way to dispose of the marine debris and coastline trash that we haul in.
We recycle clean, newer plastics, glass, and cardboard with local recyclers. If we can’t work with the local municipality for this service, we pay out of pocket for private, responsible, and traceable recyclers.
If/when we encounter specialized materials, like metals, batteries, electronics, etc., we contact specialized recyclers and pay for their proper disposal.
For items that cannot be recycled or composted, we properly dispose of all trash and debris with a local landfill.
We always welcome walk-ins to our cleanups! If pre-registration fills up, feel free to just show up the morning of the cleanup. We’ll be sure to have extra cleanup supplies for you.
We welcome event partners that help amplify our cleanup events in the following ways:
Promotional (assists with recruiting 40+ volunteers per cleanup through marketing, social media, etc.)Educational (adds a relevant educational component to the cleanup) Logistical (adds a necessary component to the event structure, like permits, location scouting, catering, etc.)
If you think your company / organization fits one of these categories, please reach out to bailey@unitedbyblue to chat further!
Note: We always welcome corporate groups/organizations to volunteer at our cleanups with no obligation other than showing up. If you’re just looking for a way to get out in your community, I encourage you to join us at a cleanup near you! For groups larger than 30, please contact bailey@unitedbyblue.com at least 2 weeks prior to the cleanup to coordinate.
