This year, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) will coordinate the cleanup on the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva, working with the Ocean Conservancy, Keep Lee County Beautiful and the City of Sanibel. We have set the date for Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m.

In this international effort, hundreds of thousands of people will descend on beaches, bays and rivers all over the world to remove trash and debris – on land and under the water. Volunteers of all ages from every continent will form the largest one-day volunteer event on behalf of clean oceans and waterways – Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

What makes the International Coastal Cleanup unique is its data collection component. Volunteers record specific types of marine debris being found, allowing Ocean Conservancy to compile, analyze and track this data year-by-year and make discoveries about the behaviors that cause the debris.

The final information is used to educate the public, business, industry, and government officials about the problem. Understanding the problem is the key to finding long-lasting solutions.

The Coastal Cleanup is a way to get involved locally with an international effort, in which thousands of individuals are working together to clean up their shores and have fun in the process.

Bring your bags back to SCCF and join us for hot dogs on the porch.

Call 472-2329 for additional information or just report at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17 to the SCCF Nature Center at 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road. or Captiva Kayak at 11401 Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva.