How to Host a Great Lakes Cleanup
Join the movement to keep the Great Lakes watershed clean.
Use these tips to make sure your shoreside or inland cleanup event runs smoothly!
Before the Cleanup
Choose a Location
A good rule of thumb when trying to determine your cleanup spot: where there are humans, there will be trash. An area that sees quite a bit of human traffic will likely be where you will find the most trash. Think: roadsides, parking lots, busy beaches or trails, etc. And remember, inland cleanups are just as important shoreline cleanups; marine debris prevention begins at the headwaters.
Some other things to consider when choosing your cleanup site:
-
Check Accessibility: adequate parking, trail or beach conditions, private vs. public land
-
Check Safety: deep water, car traffic, poisonous plants or hazardous animals
-
Check Facilities: bathrooms, water access, shade or shelter
Pick a Date and Time
If you’re asking volunteers to show up, give them some notice. Plan your cleanup at least a couple of weeks in advance. Establishing a start and end time for your event will set clear expectations for volunteers. Consider choosing a backup date in case of weather.
Gather Supplies
-
We recommend the following:
-
Reusable bags or buckets
-
Protective gloves with a rubber coating
-
A receptacle for sharp objects
-
-
Some optional additions:
-
​Trash grabbers
-
A hydration station for thirsty volunteers
-
Low-waste snacks like bananas or mandarins
-
To keep your event as low-waste as possible, ask volunteers to bring their own reusable supplies. Also recommend sunscreen, closed toed shoes, and a reusable water bottle to your volunteers.
.jpg)
Get Permission
Contact the local governing body or landowner and get permission or apply for a permit (if applicable). Clarify any restrictions like hours, trash disposal rules, etc. Ask if they can provide additional support like supplies, promotion or trash disposal.​​
Recruit Your Crew
Clarity is key:
-
Include the date, time, location, supplies needed and expectations.
-
Is your event rain or shine?
-
List items you’d like volunteers to bring.
​
Recruiting methods:
-
Create a flyer, Facebook event, or community post
-
Share details with: local businesses, schools, churches, community centers, local calendars, newsletters, radio, TV, newspapers.
-
Share your event details with us (info@greatlakeslove.org) and we can share it on our website.
During the Cleanup
Stay Safe
-
Always wear cleanup gloves.
-
Look before your grab trash -- pay attention to any sharp or unknown objects.
-
Place sharp objects like glass shards in a solid container with a lid and dispose of them safely with your trash.
Collect Data
-
Data collection at cleanups is essential because it transforms individual efforts into measurable insights that help identify pollution sources, inform policy, and drive long-term environmental solutions.
-
At a minimum, have volunteers count how many pieces of trash they remove - add these data to the #GreatLakes1Million database using the button below!
-
You can capture more specific data by:
-
Using paper sheets: Ocean Conservancy has a great trash data form.
-
Using an app on your smart phone: Clean Swell is a user-friendly intuitive option.
-
-
Snap photos! This can help show the impact of your work. Before + after photos are great, as well as shots of your volunteers in action.
Debrief and Thank Your Crew
-
Designate a person or two to collect a final trash tally - pieces of trash and (optional) weight of trash.
-
Before announcing the final numbers, a couple of questions to get the group thinking:
-
What type of trash was the most abundant?
-
What was the weirdest/funniest thing they found?
-
What can we do in our daily lives to reduce our own personal waste?
-
-
Announce the final trash number -- people will be excited to hear the collective impact they made!
-
Thank your crew and take a group celebration photo with your trash.
After the Cleanup
Share Your Data
Reporting what you collected is an important part of your cleanup event!
​
-
Add your cleanup data to the #GreatLakes1Million Challenge. Every piece counts!
-
Let your local news outlets know the results of your cleanup, how many volunteers you had, how much trash was collected, etc.
Inspire Others
-
Spread the word about your event and the #GreatLakes1Million challenge by sharing photos on social media. Tag our page - we LOVE seeing your cleanup photos.
​
Thank you for being a leader and a Great Lakes Guardian! Have more questions? Reach out: info@greatlakeslove.org