Show your support and concern for Alabama's waterways by participating in the 22nd Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. until noon. You or your organization can make a difference by volunteering to clean up our cherished coastal area.

In its twenty-one year effort to clean up the coast, over 55,000 volunteers have removed 1,034,000 pounds of trash from 3,000 miles of shoreline. Join us this year as we continue to make Alabama the Beautiful!

On the day of the event, come prepared with sunscreen, a hat, gloves, and shoes. It gets HOT!

About the Coastal Cleanup

For two decades the Alabama Coastal Cleanup has brought volunteers from across the state to the coast for one purpose to clean up the debris and trash they find there. In what sometimes feels as the endless pursuit of removing marine debris from the shoreline, these volunteers and sponsors have dedicated their time and energy to making the coast of southern Alabama a safe and beautiful place to visit and to live.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup engages local citizens to remove trash and debris from the Gulf Coast beaches and waterways, to identify the sources of debris, and to change the behaviors that cause pollution. In a continuing effort to clean up the coast, the 22nd Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup is scheduled Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 8:00 a.m. until noon. Come show your support and concern for Alabama's waterways by participating.

In addition to tarnishing the natural beauty of our state, marine debris (trash and waste discarded in the water) kills thousands of marine mammals, sea birds and turtles each year. It also damages fishing nets, fouls propellers, and clogs water intakes.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup is held in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), which is the largest single-day volunteer event for the marine environment. Since Alabama joined the ICC in 1987, 55,000 volunteers in Alabama have removed a total of 1,034,000 pounds of debris and cleaned 3,000 miles of Alabama coastline.

Gather up your group today! Bring your family, church group, youth group, Boy Scout or Girl Scout group, or come out on your own and make new friends. While supplies last, volunteers will receive a t-shirt and decal for their participation, not to mention the satisfaction of keeping Alabama beautiful!

Check our calendar for times. Then contact the zone captain for the area of your choice to get involved!

Here are a few safety tips to help "Get the Trash out of the Splash!"

• Drink plenty of fluids!
• Bring sunscreen, a hat and wear comfortable shoes.
• An adult should supervise children at all times.
• Be careful near sand dunes and other fragile ecosystems.
• DO NOT attempt to remove dangerous or heavy items yourself. Mark the location and report back to the zone captain for proper disposal.