Nearly 1,000 volunteers take to Collier County’s beaches and waterways for the 2023 International Coastal Cleanup
(Collier County, FL ) Keep Collier Beautiful is proud to have led the 38th annual International Coastal Cleanup last September 16, 2023. Nearly 1,000 volunteers flocked to Collier County’s beaches, canals, and lakes to protect the community’s wildlife by picking up litter and debris.
It took more than 3,000 volunteer-service hours to organize this community-wide cleanup effort. Volunteers collected more than 360 trash bags of litter and debris from 17 locations including sites like Barefoot Beach, Clam Pass, Rookery Bay NERR, Lake Trafford, Vanderbilt Beach, Delnor-Wiggins Park, and more. In addition to plastic and glass bottles, cigarette buts, and expected debris, volunteers found planks of wood, construction materials, and barnacle-covered chairs that may have been remnants of Hurricane Ian continuing to wash ashore.
Keep Collier Beautiful appreciates the contributions of local civic organizations, high school clubs, as well as Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops that took part in the event. Additionally, multiple organizations such as the WM, Naples Airport, Walmart, WastePro, and the Hilton Naples brought out groups to support the local environment. Some also picked up paddles to go out on a kayak to collect debris from the mangroves. Collier County residents of all ages and from different walks of life joined to lend their hands for this event, showing their love and care for the community.
The International Cleanup event was founded by the Ocean Conservancy, with local efforts being spearheaded by Keep Collier Beautiful and its partner organizations. The community-wide cleanup is meant to bring together volunteers, local businesses, and municipalities in support of Collier County’s unique environment. Through ongoing partnerships, Keep Collier Beautiful helps support litter prevention, education, and community cleanup programs.
About Keep Collier Beautiful:
As an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., Keep Collier Beautiful is a non-profit, public education organization dedicated to improving waste-handling practices in Collier County. The organization was founded in 1996 and is governed by a volunteer board representing business and industry, government, environmental organizations, civic and professional associations. They serve as catalysts to bring together diverse groups to help Keep Collier Beautiful through litter and marine debris control and prevention, recycling, and education. For more information, visit www.keepcollierbeautiful.com.