On March 12, a group of dedicated IXL volunteers braved stormy weather and partnered with the Pacifica Beach Coalition to clean up the beautiful Sharp Park Beach.

As waves crashed against the shore and wind whipped our faces, we fanned out across the beach in search of trash and debris. In addition to collecting obvious items, we scoured the beach for smaller, often overlooked items, such as cigarette butts and bits of Styrofoam or plastic, which fish, birds, and other wildlife often mistake for food. We paid special attention to clearing away cigarette butts, which have plastic non-biodegradable filters and contain toxic chemicals which can poison the environment.

In addition to removing smaller items from the beach, we cleared away construction debris, fishing line, a light bulb, and bottles. In total, we removed over 60 pounds of garbage from the beach in less than an hour! We left the cleanup feeling energized with the knowledge that cleanups like these not only make the beach more beautiful, they also help to preserve the environment and protect wildlife.

To learn about volunteer opportunities with the Pacifica Beach Coalition, please visit http://pacificabeachcoalition.org/.

 

By Amanda Chen, Senior Membership Specialist