Description

For this community challenge, you will host a public Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup with your community!

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a conservation partnership by Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada, is Canada’s largest volunteer-powered, conservation cleanup program. The Shoreline Cleanup aims to promote understanding of shoreline litter issues by engaging Canadians to rehabilitate shoreline areas through cleanups.

A shoreline is any piece of land connected to water. This could be the beach on the ocean or a lake, the side of a river or stream, or even a storm drain on your block. Waterways are all connected in one big ocean around the globe. (This is actually Ocean Literacy Principal #1!). Litter deposited in a river, stream or drain can easily make its way to the ocean through wind and ocean currents. Regardless of where you live, you are near a shoreline and that shoreline connects you to the water all over the world.

Fun fact: In 1994, employees and volunteers at the Vancouver Aquarium decided to clean up a beach in Stanley Park to protect the city’s shorelines. Since that first cleanup, a program grew in BC with 400 volunteers. Then, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup became a national conservation initiative in 2002 with cleanups in every province and territory. By 2003, more than 20,000 volunteers were taking part. Now, you can get involved too!

Task

There are so many ways to get involved! Choose your own journey!

Resources

1. A presentation by Allie Abram (Volunteer Engagement Coordinator of Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup) 

2. How to Host a Shoreline Cleanup | Ocean Wise - YouTube

3. Microplastics: Too small to see TOO BIG TO IGNORE - YouTube

Continue to International Coastal Cleanup Day »