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Manzanita Volunteer Beach Clean up

Manzanita Beach Cleanup

Protect the Health of Our Oceans

Beach cleanups are vital to protecting marine ecosystems because they remove plastic debris before it has the chance to wash out to sea and harm wildlife. As a beach clean up volunteer, you’re contributing to the sustainability of our planet.

Volunteer Form
Waiver Form

What You’ll Need

By joining a beach clean up, you’re contributing to the sustainability of our planet.

  • Reusable Bags or buckets rather than plastic bags

  • Gloves

  • Hand Sanitizer

  • Drinking-Water to Stay Hydrated (Reusable Bottle)

  • Reef Safe Sunblock or Sunscreen

What to Pick Up

What do you wear to a beach clean up

1

Litters & Debris

Even Small Bits, Animals can mistake them for food

2

Recyclables

like glass, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic drinking bottles

3

Trash

plastics, metals, glass, styrofoam, foil wrappers, cloth, cardboard, paper, leftover food or food waste

4

Microplastics

A. By technical definition, microplastics are about the size of sesame seeds.
B. They often come from larger plastics that break down into smaller and smaller
pieces.
C. Common sources of microplastics are plastic containers and bottles, bottle caps & lids, packaging, ropes, &
ghost nets.
D. Microplastics are found along the beach on the high tide mark, since floating debris is often left behind by the high tides. 
5

Leave No Trace

Gloves, cleaning supplies, and anything
you brought with you; leave nothing behind but your footprints!

Beach Clean up Best Practices

  • Split recyclables and trash into separate bags
  • Tie trash bags and dispose in dumpsters (beware overflowing bins: they can cause items to fly away and end up back in the water)
  • Don’t pick up weapons or anything that looks like it came from a hospital. Mark questionable items and inform your organizer or the lifeguard. 
  • If it occurs naturally in nature — like kelp, shells, driftwood — leave it be (try not disrupt animals and plants in the area)
  • Know your cleanup zone boundaries and meeting times 
  • Take note of the nearest lifeguard station and know what to do in case of an emergency
Create-a-Cleanup

Volunteer With a Friend!

Volunteer

Trying to convince a friend to join you in a beach clean up? Here are a few reasons why we should all care about the health of our waters:

  • The ocean provides over 70% of the oxygen we breathe
  • Rivers and oceans are important sources of food
  • Seaweed is an ingredient in many consumer products and captures carbon from our atmosphere
  • Scientists use marine organisms for lifesaving medicines 

If we keep our waters healthy, we can keep our livelihoods and economies thriving, protect wildlife, enjoy water recreation, and build a brighter future for generations to come.

Why Pick Up Plastics and Microplastics?

Look Out for Wildlife

As you explore the cleanup zone, enjoy the nature around you, but try not to disrupt the animals and plants. They're enjoying a beach day too! If you find an injured animal, contact your nearest wildlife agency.

Microplastics occur when the sun breaks down plastic debris into smaller and smaller fragments that never fully biodegrade. Animals often mistake plastics and microplastics for food and can get entangled, injured, gravely sick, or wash ashore. When animals that ingest — but can’t digest — these microplastics are eaten, the plastic moves up the food chain, potentially into our food.

Learn More

Thank you for keeping our ocean blue.

"Beach cleanups are vital to protecting marine ecosystems because they remove plastic debris before it has the chance to break into smaller fragments that washout to sea and harm wildlife. By joining a cleanup, you’re contributing to the sustainability of our planet."

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Why is it important to not litter?


Litter on the streets can end up in street drains that flow into urban streams. Urban streams flow to our major rivers and then empty into the ocean. So, littering even in our neighborhoods is contributing to garbage and plastic pollution in our ocean. Litter that enters into the ocean can be carried by ocean currents to beaches across the world and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. January 21, 2021

What are 5 ways to help the environment?

  1. Plant a tree in your neighborhood or next to an urban stream. Trees produce shade which lowers temperatures, sequesters carbon emissions in the soil, holds stream banks together to prevent polluted sediment from flowing into streams, and will be there for many years for future generations.
  1. Learn more about your local recycling facility’s practices. Different recycling facilities have different practices. What may be recyclable at one facility may not be at the next. Be sure to follow local recycling guidelines, and although not everything is recyclable, let’s make sure every single item that can be recycled gets recycled.
  1. Compost your food waste. Composting enriches soil, keeps waste out of the landfill and sequesters carbon in soil. Contact your local waste facility to find out if they provide composting receptacles for you to place in your backyard. Sometimes you can place compostable waste in your yard waste bin. Learn what is compostable and what is not.
  1. Pick up 3 for the sea. If everyone in the world picked up 3 pieces of litter every day, would there be any

more litter on the ground? The ocean is a reflection of our city streets, so let’s

keep our neighborhood clean to prevent litter from flowing downstream to our

one world ocean.

  1. Create an ocean cleanup. Register with Ocean Blue to Create a Cleanup in your local neighborhood, or at your favorite stream, river, or beach to keep litter out of the ocean. You will be provided a host package that helps you lead your own successful cleanup with your friends, family, business, school, or organization group.

January 21,2021

How can we keep our environment clean?

Lower you every day single use plastic items that will end up in the landfill. Make sure that your car remains clean. A gust of wind can easily blow trash out of the side pocket of your door and it becomes litter. Keep reusable shopping bags in your car, so you don’t have to use plastic ones on the go. When travelling or going to your favorite swimming hole, be sure to use glass products over plastic when possible. Use Boxed Water instead of plastic, or better yet fill up your own resuable eco-friendly drinking container to stay hydrated. Whatever you pack in, pack out and leave your favorite natural environment places better than how you found them. Be sure to properly dispose of your dog waste bags. It’s not enough to bag it and leave the bag for someone else to pick up. Cut your mask strings and be sure to dispose of masks in waste bins. January 21, 2021

How can we keep our city clean?

Pick up litter at local parks next to urban streams and rivers. Make a stewardship activity out of your daily walks so keep litter out of street drains that flow into urban streams, rivers, and eventually into the ocean. All plastics break down into fragments, microplastics, and nanoplastics that can end up in our drinking water supply.

oregon-ocean-day-beach-cleanup-2021
author avatar
Ocean Blue Environmental News Blog
Director of Ocean Blue Project, Inc.
See Full Bio

Cleanup Volunteer Form

Volunteer Waiver Form

A release form is needed for each volunteer on your team. Please make copies of this form as needed for each one of your team members. Please take completed forms with you to your project site the day of the event to make sure everyone signed. Thanks!!

Select the event in which you will be participating
Participants under the age of 18 require parent or guardian signatures
This Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability (the “Release”) is entered into by (“I” or “me” or “Releasor”) in favor of any sponsor of Ocean Blue Project and in favor of the Ocean Blue Project Inc., an USA non-profit corporation, and its members, directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and agents (the “Organization,” or “Releasees”).

Activities. I wish to volunteer to participate in activities related to the Organization’s Beach Cleanup and River Cleanup Events (the “Activities”). I understand that these Activities include, but are not limited to, collecting trash and refuse in or around rivers and beaches; traversing riverbanks, beaches, waterways, estuaries, and other difficult terrain; handle potentially sharp, heavy, or otherwise dangerous materials; and/or travel coordinated by the Organization via bus, van, or other motor vehicle to locations.

Voluntary Participation. I desire to volunteer with the Organization to participate in the Activities. As a volunteer, I understand and agree that I am not an employee, and am therefore not entitled to any compensation, remuneration, or other benefits for my participation in the Activities.

Alcohol Consumption Prohibited. The Organization does not permit alcohol consumption while participating in the Activities, or during any event located on the property of any State, municipality, county, or other kind of political subdivision. I attest that I have not consumed alcohol prior to participating in this event.

Assumption of Risk. I understand and appreciate the fact that the Activities may be inherently dangerous and could expose me to foreseen and unforeseen risks. I acknowledge that, after being made fully aware of those risks, I voluntarily choose to participate in the Activities. I hereby expressly and specifically assume those risks, including any risk of harm, injury, or loss that may result due to my participation in the Activities.

Release and Waiver. I hereby forever release, indemnify, hold harmless, and discharge Releasees from any and all liability, claims, or damages, at law or equity, arising from and in connection with any injury resulting from my participation in the Activities. I will not make, bring, or cause to bring any action against Releasees for injury in connection with or caused by my Participation in the Activities. I fully and forever release and discharge Releasees from liability under such claims.

I UNDERSTAND THIS RELEASE DISCHARGES RELEASEES FROM ANY LIABILITY OR CLAIM RELATED TO ANY BODILY INJURY, PERSONAL INJURY, ILLNESS, DEATH, PROPERTY, DAMAGE, PROPERTY LOSS, OR OTHER KIND OF INJURY ARISING FROM MY PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES, WHETHER CAUSED BY RELEASEES’ NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE.

Medical Treatment. In the event of any injury or bodily harm arising from my participation in the Activities, I consent and give permission to the Organization to obtain medical treatment on my behalf. I understand and agree that I am solely responsible for any and all costs related to such treatment, transportation, and/or evacuation incurred as a result of the Organization obtaining such medical treatment. I hereby release, forever discharge, and hold harmless the Organization from any claim whatsoever arising from the costs incurred by any such medical treatment or services.

Insurance. I understand that the Organization does not assume responsibility for, or any obligation to, provide financial assistance for medical, health, disability, workers compensation, or any other form of insurance, bond, or other form of financial assistance for any injury, illness, death, damage, or loss. I hereby disclaim any right to receive financial assistance or other form of benefit from any policy of which the Organization is a beneficiary.

Photographic and Videographic Release. I understand and acknowledge that, in the course of my participation in the Activities, I may be photographed, videotaped, or otherwise recorded by the Organization. I hereby grant and convey to the Organization all rights, title, and interest I may have in any such photographs, videos, and recordings, including any right to royalties, proceeds, or other benefits. I hereby consent to allow the Organization to use my name, image, likeness, and voice in any medium or format, for any publicity without further compensation or permission.

Consideration. I understand and acknowledge that the covenants, waivers, assumptions, duties, and obligations contained in this Release are exchanged for my right to participate in the Activities as a volunteer. I agree to the terms in this Release freely, voluntarily, without duress, and in exchange for good and valuable consideration.

Additional Terms.

Entire Agreement. I understand and agree that the foregoing constitutes the entire agreement between the Organization and I pertaining to the Employee’s general release of claims, and that there are no other agreements, oral or written, express or implied, relating to this Release.

Severability. If any term or provision of this Release is found invalid, void, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or other appropriate authority for any reason, the remainder of the terms and provisions of this General Release shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

Successors and Assigns. This Release binding and shall inure to the benefit of the Organization, Me, and our respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, and permitted assigns.

Governing Law; Venue. This Agreement, for all purposes, shall be construed in accordance with the laws of Oregon without regard to conflicts-of-law principles. Any action or proceeding by either of the Parties to enforce this Agreement shall be brought only in any state or federal court located in the state of Benton County, Oregon.

BY SIGNING THIS RELEASE, I KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THE TERMS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT AND THAT I AM VOLUNTARILY GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SUE RELEASEES.
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