Volunteer Travel: Beach Cleanup

Along with soaking up rays, swimming in warm surf, hanging ten on the crest of a wave, playing beach volleyball, diving and snorkeling amidst tropical fish, whale watching, or the multitude of other fantastic activities beaches offer travelers, helping the environment and making sure it stays beautiful for the next generation of travelers is a great way to spend the day at the beach. Beach cleanup is becoming a small, but extremely important, part of the beach lover’s travel itinerary. Programs dedicated to sustainable tourism are helping travelers become volunteers, by organizing beach cleanup groups. These groups are a fun way to meet other travelers, and to give something back to the gorgeous environments that make traveling so extraordinary.

RealTraveler ISingInTheRain spent a semester studying in Hawaii. Along with trips to beautiful Volcano Park, hikes through Waipio Valley, and plenty of days relaxing and playing on Hawaii’s awe-inspiring beaches, this traveler also dedicated some time to helping clean up trash along the sands of South Point Beach in Hali. She describes the experience as both fun and fulfilling in her journal, Beach Clean Up, Whale Watch and Makalawena!:

“On Saturday, my friends and I went to South Point to participate in a clean up of the shoreline. Hawaii gets trash from Asia and the western US so there was litter covering the coast- much of it was plastic. It was disheartening in a way, because we all knew that within a span of time, the sea would carry more trash to the beach and cover it again. But it was still nice to clear out some spots, to meet new friends, and it also was a very educational day. You can learn a lot about pollution and recycling but when you see the effects with your own eyes, the lessons sink in on a deeper level.

I think it was important that we went out and did the clean up because only weeks before, our school went out to Green Sands which is a beach around that area. The entire zone is Hawaiian homelands, so it’s with great respect that we should use the property. It seemed fitting to return the amazing beach experience with a few hours of picking up trash.” (more…)

Planning your next beach holiday and want to know how to get involved in a beach cleanup day? Plenty of wonderful ecotourism groups are out there, like the group E4 who organize volunteers to clean up the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica, and in California, travelers can partake in Coastweeks, a three week celebration of California’s dazzling beaches. During this event, many thousands of California’s (and visitors!) come together to clean up the coast and spend the day in the sun. Many coastal states, in fact, have similar celebrations — contact your travel agent, look online, or visit your next beach destination’s travel bureau for more information on how you can become a travel volunteer.

For suggestions, resources, and travel ideas for your next beach holiday, visit these useful links:

Hawaii Travel Resources:

Hawaii Travel Guide
Top Spots in Hawaii
Hawaii Trips
Hotels in Hawaii

California Travel Resources:

California Travel Guide
Top Spots in California
California Trips
Hotels in California

Other Great Resources:

Beach Travel
Volunteer Travel

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