Thousands of volunteers will work together across Virginia this June to clean up litter along waterways from the Eastern Shore to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local partners will celebrate the 30th Clean the Bay Day, the shoreline cleanup’s pearl anniversary, on Saturday, June 2, from 9 a.m. until noon.
A group of Hampton Roads residents concerned about trash coordinated the first Clean the Bay Day in 1989. Since then it has grown into an unparalleled cleanup event at hundreds of sites across the state.
“Over the past 30 years Clean the Bay Day has become a true Virginian tradition. It’s so simple, yet so effective,” said CBF Hampton Roads Grassroots Manager Tanner Council. “Litter is the most obvious sign of pollution in our waterways. When thousands of people work together, they make an amazing improvement along hundreds of miles of shoreline. Anyone can help clean up, and the big 30th anniversary is a great time to join.”
Last year, about 6,000 volunteers participated in Clean the Bay Day at 250 sites, on foot and in boats removing approximately 100,000 pounds of litter and debris along 450 miles of shoreline.
The many cleanup locations include sites in Hampton Roads, Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Northern and Central Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and at many state parks. Early registration is advised. To register at a site near you, visit www.cbf.org/clean. Online registration to a cleanup at one of the participating state parks gets you free entry to the park the day of the event.
Major corporate sponsors for Clean the Bay Day include REI, Port of Virginia, and River Network/Anheuser-Busch.
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