The Alliance for the Great Lakes Adopt-a-Beach program may be year round but come next Saturday it will be a special day for beach clean up. It coincides with the International Coastal Cleanup sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy. Todd Brennan, Wisconsin Outreach Coordinator for the Alliance, say will be "people all around the world" being good stewards to their beaches.
Brennan says volunteers will not only be helping tidy up the shore but are also helping collect data as to the source and types of waste. That information is used in directing public policy efforts at the local level and beyond. He cites cigarettes as a successful example of this as many municipalities have banned beach smoking. Cigarette butts are the greatest source of litter in the region with 170,000 butts found last year on the Great Lakes beaches the Alliance monitors.
Brennan suggests registering online at www.greatlakesadopt.org where volunteers can choose a beach within four counties in Eastern Wisconsin, as well as Kewaunee and Ashland counties.
