SOLVE Looking For Cleanup Volunteers

Show your love for Oregon by volunteering on Saturday, September 21 for the SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery. SOLVE is calling on all Oregonians to do their part to remove invasive plants and clean up hundreds of miles of beaches, rivers, and city streets. Volunteers are needed to cleanup Oregon before the fall rains wash litter and debris into storm drains, down waterways, and eventually out to sea. Just a few hours of hands-on work can make a big difference!

Who: SOLVE, Oregon Lottery, dozens of partners and thousands of Oregonians will mobilize across the state for the 35th annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup. 

What: Since 1984, over 130,000 Beach & Riverside Cleanup volunteers have removed an astounding 1.7 million pounds of litter and marine debris from project sites across Oregon. This annual, family-friendly event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup and National Public Lands Day. 

When: Saturday, September 21 from 10 am to 1 pm (times and dates may vary by project). 

Where: This event includes more than 100 hands-on volunteer litter cleanup and restoration events across the state, including over 40 beach cleanup sites coastwide. 

How: Find your favorite project and sign up at solveoregon.org. To help make the event more sustainable, volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves, bucket, and water bottle to reduce the use of disposable plastic. All instructions and necessary supplies will be provided by project leaders the morning of the event.

Why:  Oregonians are proud of where they call home, which is why the SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup has become an Oregon tradition. Each year, volunteers come together to take care of our state by cleaning beaches, parks, and city streets as well as removing invasive plants and restoring habitats. Without this volunteer effort, cigarette butts, plastic, and other trash get washed into storm drains, leading directly to our rivers and streams where they pollute our water, and can be mistaken for food by fish and other wildlife. In addition, non-native invasive plants like English ivy crowd out native plants, reducing habitat for many animals.