Earth Day Clean Up

Braving the rain, volunteers and organizations came together to give Orleans' beaches a makeover to celebrate Earth Day. With a focus on the theme Planet vs Plastics seventeen beaches and landings got litter-free and summer-ready.

What is Earth Day Clean Up?

It was the second year in a row that the annual clean up day in Orleans was spearheaded by the Orleans Pond Coalition. The weekend before Earth Day, which was Monday April 22, was cold and wet, but volunteers and organizations picked up trash bags and buckets and braved the rain. Divided into 17 teams, volunteers gathered at the main sites Skaket Beach, Nauset Beach and Rock Harbor, before going off to their designated beaches and landings. John Smith, Director of Earth Day Clean Up and board member of Orleans Pond Coalition, says common findings are miniature bottles for alcoholic beverages. Watch the video to learn about a very rare find the group did last year.

What happened in Orleans?

The goal of Earth Day, a global environmental movement, is for all plastics to be reduced by 60 per cent by 2040. At Nauset Beach, The Surfriders Coalition were gathering trash for their data base. Every year the Surfriders keep statistics to use in their policy making processes, and to push for bylaws at local Town governments. Watch the video to learn what bylaws they have managed to lobby for so far.

     John Smith says the goal for the Orleans Pond Coalition is for people to appreciate Orleans' beauty, its beaches and estuaries, visitors and residents alike.