Come one, come all: Volunteers from around the globe and the U.S. states and territories participate each year, clearing tons of trash from coastlines, rivers and lakes. And it’s coming up soon.

For more information, click here.

And for a look at a more local (Canadian, in this case) site devoted to this event, try this one.

Each September, hundreds of thousands of volunteers from around the world join forces during the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) coordinated by the Ocean Conservancy. In the past 17 years, more than 4.5 million volunteers from 120 countries have participated.

This is one environmental program that everyone can get involved with. It is the perfect opportunity for school groups, community groups, and families concerned individuals to get involved in a hands-on conservation program. It provides a chance to become involved with an activity that has a real, measurable effect in the environment both locally and globally. Cleanups are more than just collecting trash, they are examples of communities working together to create solutions that ensure our oceans and waterways are kept clean.

Photo credit: vanaqua.org.