IOP Clean Up Crew: Summer Beach Sweeps Twice a Week

 

IOP Clean U Crew

Be a Part of the Solution, Not the Pollution
with IOP Cleanup Crew this Summer

With the beach season heating up, Isle of Palms Cleanup Crew has shifted to a busy summer schedule with litter sweeps twice a week through Labor Day weekend.

 

Volunteers are encouraged to attend weekly Monday beach cleanups from 6-7 p.m. or drop in for the crew’s Wednesday “Breakfast Club” from 7-8 a.m. when early-bird volunteers can tackle litter at the beach or the streetscape and city parking lots.

IOP Cleanup Crew uses volunteer power to keep the coast clean, protect natural ecosystems and public health, and document litter to help solve the pollution crisis. Working with the South Carolina Aquarium’s conservation team and the aquarium’s Litter Journal, the crew has collected and documented more than 140,000 litter items since 2018.

Everyone is welcome to volunteer. That includes families, businesses, teams and students collecting volunteer hours. Attendance is flexible – help when you can.

Check in at the beach walkover in the 1100 block of Ocean Boulevard between the building with the IOP postcard mural and the outdoor showers. Smugglers and Coconut Joe's are also close by.

Volunteers are asked to collect litter for at least 30 minutes and afterward can enjoy discounts at participating Isle of Palms restaurants. Monday night sponsors include Smugglers, Coconut Joe's, Lawrence's Seafood Company, the Boathouse at Breach Inlet and Windjammer (when there isn’t a show). Wednesday Breakfast Club sponsors include Acme Lowcountry Kitchen, Sea Biscuit Café and Café Paname.

IOP Cleanup Crew provides supplies as well as vehicle magnets that allow free parking for volunteers in the City of Isle of Palms lots off Pavilion Drive during subsequent litter sweeps. Anyone who has helped with two litter sweeps is eligible for an IOP Cleanup Crew T-shirt, made in part with recycled plastic.

No advance registration is required, but large groups of 15 or more are encouraged to email IOP Cleanup Crew Cofounder Susan Hill Smith at susanhillsmith@gmail.com with info about the group and a head count estimate.

TOP ISLE OF PALMS LITTER ITEMS INCLUDE

Ø  Cigarettes and filters (always #1)

Ø  Plastic food wrappers

Ø  Paper and cardboard

Ø  Plastic caps and lids

Ø  Plastic straws

Ø  Styrofoam

Ø  Fireworks

Ø  Wrappers for juice box/pouch straws

Ø  Clothing, shoes and fabric

ADVICE TO BEACHGOERS
Abide by local beach ordinances prohibiting single-use retail bags, plastic straws and stirrers, Styrofoam coolers and containers, balloons, and smoking on the beach.

Avoid bringing disposable items to the beach and rely as much as possible on reusable items including drinkware and bags.

Keep track of belongings and take care not to leave anything behind on the beach or in parking areas – including toys, towels, shoes and clothing.

Help ensure that trash stays out of the environment by disposing of it properly at home, or at least off the beach. The City of Isle of Palms provides trash cans on the beach, but they can overflow, get knocked over, and be undermined by wind and wildlife.

LINKS

Isle of Palms Cleanup Crew summer litter sweeps – 6-7 p.m. Mondays and 7-8 a.m. “Breakfast Club” Wednesdays through Labor Day.  Supplies provided. Volunteers check in at 1100 Ocean Blvd beach access by Coconut Joe’s & IOP city restroom building. Enjoy a discount at an IOP restaurant after. No advance registration – help when you can. Follow us on Facebook to learn more.

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