For more information contact:
Lourdes Ferris, Executive Director
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc.
1920 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., Suite 210
West Palm Beach, FL 33409
(561) 686-6646
cell (561) 389-7684
FAX (561) 686-6642
info@keepPBCbeautiful.org
www.keepPBCbeautiful.org
When we trash the ocean, we trash our own well-being.
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful Announces Locations for the
International Coastal Cleanup 2012
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. (KPBCB) welcomes help from volunteers for the International Coastal Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, September 15 with additional dates in September and October in Palm Beach County. The cleanup is sponsored by The Ocean Conservancy worldwide and is coordinated locally by KPBCB.
As part of this effort across the globe, individuals take part in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) to remove trash and debris from the world’s beaches and waterways, identify the sources of that debris, and change the behaviors that allow it to reach the ocean in the first place.
During this signature event each September, hundreds of thousands of volunteers from countries all over the world spend a day picking up everything from cigarette butts and food wrappers to lost fishing nets and major appliances. Because trash travels to the ocean by way of storm drains and waterways, they don’t just work along ocean beaches; these dedicated volunteers navigate through mud and sand along lakes, canals, and rivers, often working far inland on roadways and neighborhood streets.
Many walk, while others set out on boats. Thousands more don scuba gear to seek trash below the water’s surface. People of all ages, from any walk of life, can participate. Friends, families, neighbors, club members, school classes—all kinds of people turn out on one day to work together in spirit across many time zones.
Working shoulder-to-shoulder, the volunteers in the Cleanup’s global network not only pick up trash, they record every item they find on standardized data cards. KPBCB compiles the data locally and the Ocean Conservancy compiles and analyzes the data worldwide each year, and publishes the world’s only item-by-item, location-by-location snapshot of marine debris in an annual report. By understanding what is out there, we can work together on solutions.
Last year, during the 26th anniversary of the Cleanup, in Palm Beach County alone, over 3,300 volunteers picked up over 20,588 lbs of trash from Palm Beach County beaches, lakes, and participating neighborhoods. From the information provided by volunteers, the source of most of the trash and debris comes from shoreline and recreational activities (55.43%) and smoking-related activities (35.27%).
This year in Palm Beach County, local volunteers will gather at multiple locations on September 15 with additional dates in September and October. Most cleanup events begin at 8:00 a.m. with some later start times. For a list of sites, dates, and times, please visit www.keepPBCbeautiful.org or call (561) 686-6646. Community Service Hours will be given. Volunteers should pre-register by contacting the volunteer coordinators listed for each site. Trash bags and other supplies will be provided and volunteers are encouraged to wear hats, sunscreen, sturdy shoes and bring water. Free ICC t-shirts will be given to volunteers while supplies last.
About Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc., established in 1988, is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-based non-profit organization which serves as the local affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in Palm Beach County through litter prevention education, beautification efforts, and environmental stewardship. www.keepPBCbeautiful.org
About the Ocean Conservancy
For more information about the Ocean Conservancy and International Coastal Cleanup press kits visit http://www.oceanconservancy.org/news-room/marine-debris/ocean-conservancys-1.html
International and National Sponsors
The Coca-Cola Company has supported Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup for the past 17 years. Last year, Coca-Cola activated a global employee engagement campaign to encourage participation in the Cleanup. Over 24,000 Coca-Cola system associates, their friends and families in 26 countries volunteered, contributing almost 200,000 hours of time. As part of its commitment to address global climate change, Bank of America has supported the Cleanup for the past several years, with thousands of employees participating in Cleanup events all around the world. Other national sponsors include National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Altria Group, Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, Landshark Lager, Glad, The Walt Disney Company, Brunswick Public Foundation, CVS Caremark and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Local Palm Beach County Sponsors
Thank you to the following local companies and organizations that are supporting the cleanup in Palm Beach County:
The Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County
Florida Inland Navigation District
Pratt & Whitney
Walmart
Sam’s Club
Waste Management
Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach
AT&T Pioneers Palm Beach Council
Veolia Environmental Services
Florida Power & Light Company
Arcadis
Southern Waste Systems
Marine Industries Association
West Palm Beach Fishing Club
