Please sign up if
you are planning on attending. You can sign up using our online form (Click
here), or call 603-431-0260. 
DETAILS:
All supplies, plus snacks &
beverages, will be provided! We encourage volunteers to bring
their own work gloves (to reduce the amount of plastic gloves used) and
a travel mug for coffee.
For directions, click here.
We plan to conduct cleanups rain or shine.
If the weather looks "iffy", check this page or call our office at
603-431-0260, we'll leave a message there if we decide to reschedule.
We also arrange cleanups for groups and schools! If you are
looking for a fun community service project, call us!
Sign up for monthly e-mail reminders of our
cleanups!
Cleanup
Information
Our cleanups are part
of a monitoring program where we not only clean up local beaches, but
record the types of trash collected on data cards. This helps
track the types of debris appearing on each beach throughout the year,
and gives us an idea of where the trash is coming from. It is
important to know whether this debris is land-based (such as items left by
beachgoers) or ocean-based (such as lost fishing gear or trash
from boaters) so that we can determine what pollution laws are working,
and what outreach tactics may be needed.
Depending on the
beach, cleanups are part of either our local coastal marine debris
monitoring (with support from the NH
Coastal Program) or the National
Marine Debris Monitoring Program run by the
Ocean Conservancy.
Results from each cleanup are entered in our in-house database, and also
sent to the Ocean Conservancy when appropriate. What are we
finding? Click here for our
Summary of 2005
Cleanup Programs & Data.
Cleanups usually take
1-2 hours. Each cleanup starts with a short (5-10 minute) presentation
that overviews the program, data collection, our research efforts, and
how collecting debris will help the environment. We provide all supplies
including latex gloves, trash bags, data cards, pencils, clipboards,
drinks & snacks. We suggest participants dress in layers and wear
sturdy, close-toed shoes for safety.
Click
here for printable (PDF) list of all 2008 Cleanups
Help
Even More by Adopting a Beach!
As part of our new beach adoption
program, we're looking for groups/families/classes to monitor beaches on
a regular basis. The beaches need to be cleaned once a month,
but you don't have to do it all! We will work with you to find
another group to alternate with if you don't want to commit to
year-round cleanings. The total commitment is approximately 1-2
hours per month. We provide all supplies, and support and training
from our staff.
Click
here for more information.
Cleanups in the News
Volunteers Brave Cold,
Rain to Pick Up Trash on Peirce Island
(Portsmouth Herald, April 2005)
Online file | PDF
File
Earth Day
Offers a Chance to Help Protect Seacoast (PDF file)
Portsmouth Herald Editorial, April 2005
"Group Seeks Volunteers for Beach Cleanup" (Portsmouth Herald, September
2004)
"Groups Picking Away at Trash" (Hampton Union, June 2004)
"Earth
Day Trash Pickup Yields 10 Bags of Refuse" (Portsmouth
Herald, April 2003)
"Volunteers Clean Jenness Beach"
(Foster's Sunday Citizen,
December 2002)
"Rye Beach Cleanup is Part of a Larger Study"
(Portsmouth
Herald, August 2002)
Past
Beach Cleanups: What kinds of trash are we finding?
Why would
I want to pick up someone else's trash?
