Small Actions, Big Ripples on International Coastal Cleanup Day

Photo Credit: Theo Hair, Charleston Chapter

This past week, thousands of volunteers and community members across the world participated in International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD) through various organizations like the Surfrider Foundation. In the Southeast, Surfrider chapters hosted 6 ICCD cleanups across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina coastlines.

Photo Credit: Ellie Richard, Charleston Chapter ICCD Cleanup 2026

The goal of ICCD cleanups is simple: to collect and document litter. Beach cleanups are one of the largest programs at Surfrider but maybe not for the reason you think. At Surfrider, we do not believe that beach cleanups are going to solve the plastic pollution problem. Rather, we believe beach cleanups are powerful because they encourage people to take action, generate public awareness, and target the heart of the problem. Let’s take a look at how this ethos is playing out across the Southeast this year:

Encouraging People to Take Action
Have you ever felt hopeless to solve environmental issues, like pervasive plastic pollution? You are not alone! Cleanups are a powerful tool to bring passionate people together and be reminded that we do have power to make a difference in our communities. And, we are better together! For example, North Carolina faces a challenging political landscape with a state policy preventing localities from passing plastic reduction legislation. Coming together for a local cleanup not only creates environmental impact, but also encourages people to take action in their communities!

Photo Credit: Theo Hair, Charleston Chapter ICCD Cleanup 2026

Generating Public Awareness
There is nothing quite like a cleanup to illuminate our society’s reliance upon single-use plastic and the problems that arise when they break down in the environment. Picking up litter on beaches or in urban environments is impactful, but the impact of public awareness extends far beyond a 1-hour event. Public awareness about single-use plastic helps shift consumer behavior, demonstrating to communities that there are alternatives which can even save families or business money in the long run.

Photo Credit: Sam Burton, UNCW Club & Cape Fear Chapter ICCD Cleanup 2026

"Beach cleanups have a way of making plastic pollution feel real, especially real to the people who say it’s their first clean up. When I’m standing out on the beach with all like minded people and watching first hand as they all come back with bags filled with plastic pollution, it becomes something more than just an environmental issues but now a community issue. Cleanups are the footnotes of getting people to make tangible decisions and actions to change the way they live their lives. We are able to remind ourselves that small actions can create a large impact when we do them together, that’s what makes ICCD so impactful for me." - Sam Paul, UNCW Surfrider Club President

Targeting the Heart of the Problem
Finally, cleanups allow communities to target the heart of the problem by contributing to litter data collection which we use to advocate for plastic legislation. For example, Surfrider’s Beach Cleanup dataset allows us to go to city and state governments all the way to the halls of congress with statistics highlighting the prevalence and harmful impacts of single-use plastics on our environment. With the support of our incredible volunteer network, coalitions, and other community partners, Surfrider has helped pass hundreds of plastic policies across the country!

Photo Credit: Sam Burton, UNCW Club & Cape Fear Chapter ICCD Cleanup 2026

"ICCD events are an awesome way to bring awareness not only to issues of litter and plastic use, but also to other areas of impact such as local and state legislation where we can make an impact. Our lawmakers need actionable data to make decisions, and events like these bring us one step closer to making positive change legislatively." - Jessica Clark, Cape Fear Chapter

All in all, cleanups may not solve the problem but they are an impactful avenue for communities to make a difference and inspire change at both individual and government levels! Check your local chapter’s website to participate in their next cleanup or do your own to join in on the fun. The ocean needs more friends!