Watson Island Cleanup | ICC2025
Join us for the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest, one-day volunteer effort for our oceans and waterways, and show your commitment to reducing marine debris, along with millions of volunteers from across the globe! Registration below is required to participate in the cleanup. Miami-Dade’s participation, organized by VolunteerCleanup.org, will feature 65+ cleanups all over the county with 4,000 volunteers. This year is the launch of Trashathon, a new fundraising concept where the community can make a per-pound pledge to support the overall cleanup effort. If you are unable to help clean up as a volunteer, you can still support the cause by making a pledge or sharing with others. Make a per-pound-pledge to support this organization here! This year’s t-shirt and rash guard are available for purchase. Order before August 30 if you want to guarantee your shirt arrives before the cleanup. For the cleanup, we will provide garbage bags, gloves, and data collection cards. *Community Service hours are also provided* On September 20th, 2025, Big Blue & You, Sereia Films, and Miami Waterkeeper have joined forces for the third year in a row and will be hosting their cleanup sponsored by the Miami Yacht Club, Jungle Island, and Coastal Waste & Recycling along the shore of Watson Island to remove debris and conduct citizen science. We have a full lineup of additional offerings, including a volunteer breakfast, lunch and live music. An impactful and enjoyable experience will be had by all! Registration is required to participate. When possible, please have each guest in your party RSVP individually so we can ensure they get all the information and details about the event, and we can accurately plan for turnout. Important volunteer details:
- Please bring water in a reusable container and reusable utensils if you have them. Let’s reduce waste and refuse single-use disposable plastic water bottles. Water refill stations will be available.
- Download the Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell app to participate in the Citizen Science activity to log, tally and measure the impact of your cleanup.
- Dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear. This is a mangrove shoreline site and you should wear closed-toed shoes. Please don’t wear flip flops or sandals. Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen are highly recommended.
- If you have your own reusable working or gardening type gloves, bring them. We will be providing gloves but cannot guarantee they will be in your size.
- Free parking will be located in the neighboring Jungle Island parking garage. Signs will be posted to direct volunteers.
- Check-in will be located at the entrance to the Miami Yacht Club at 1001 MacArthur Causeway. All volunteers MUST check-in and sign a waiver.
- This event is suitable for ages 6+. Youth, ages 15 and under, MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian. If you are 16-17 years old and coming without a parent or guardian, you must have a parent/guardian Print, sign and return the waiver in advance.
Kicking off at 9:30am, we invite registered volunteers to check in and grab some breakfast snacks. Following welcome remarks, instructions and safety guidelines, volunteers will receive their cleanup supplies (buckets/gloves/pickers). The cleanup, weigh-in, sort and data count will run from 10am-12pm. Big Blue & You will be conducting their Break Free From Plastic brand audit to determine what companies packaging produced the most plastic litter. At 12:00 final data figures will be announced, and the celebration begins! Miami Yacht Club and the Rotary Club of Miami will come together to provide a waterfront lunch for participating volunteers, with live music. Cleanup volunteers will be invited to sit back, relax and lounge with us on the gorgeous patio area of the Miami Yacht Club until 2pm as the cool sea breeze fills our sails and whisks us away! Other activities include onsite water quality testing and a microplastic art project by Miami Waterkeepers, brand auditing of trash plus an interactive mural project by Big Blue & You, and an oyster shucking demonstration by Sereia Films. ***Waivers are required to participate***
- You can complete the online waivers here in advance to help expedite check-in on the day of.
- However, if you are under 18 and coming without a parent or guardian, you must have a parent/guardian print and sign the waiver HERE in advance, and bring it with you to the cleanup.
Learn more about Big Blue & You here: https://bigblueandyou.org/ Learn more about Sereia Films here: https://sereiafilms.org/ Learn more about Miami Waterkeeper here: https://www.miamiwaterkeeper.org/
VolunteerCleanup.org is grateful for our funding partners and this year’s inaugural Trashathon sponsors who are making per-pound pledges to support this high-impact annual event: The Miami Foundation, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Biscayne Bay Recovery Fund, Miami Beach Cupid Splash, Benjamin & Gloria Joannou, Jr. Family Conservation Fund, Miami-Dade County DERM, Waste Connections.
Read more about the history and impact of the International Coastal Cleanup.
What Should Volunteers Bring?
- Closed Toed Shoes
- Sunscreen
- Insect Repellent
- Hat & Sunglasses
What Will Be Provided?
- Garbage Bags
- Water Refills
- Pickers
- Buckets
Parking Information
Free parking will be available in the Jungle Island Garage for registered participants.Organizer Information
Watson Island Cleanup | ICC2025
About This Event
Join us for the 40th anniversary of the International Coastal Cleanup, the world's largest, one-day volunteer effort for our oceans and waterways, and show your commitment to reducing marine debris, along with millions of volunteers from across the globe! Registration below is required to participate in the cleanup. Miami-Dade’s participation, organized by VolunteerCleanup.org, will feature 65+ cleanups all over the county with 4,000 volunteers. This year is the launch of Trashathon, a new fundraising concept where the community can make a per-pound pledge to support the overall cleanup effort. If you are unable to help clean up as a volunteer, you can still support the cause by making a pledge or sharing with others. Make a per-pound-pledge to support this organization here! This year’s t-shirt and rash guard are available for purchase. Order before August 30 if you want to guarantee your shirt arrives before the cleanup. For the cleanup, we will provide garbage bags, gloves, and data collection cards. *Community Service hours are also provided* On September 20th, 2025, Big Blue & You, Sereia Films, and Miami Waterkeeper have joined forces for the third year in a row and will be hosting their cleanup sponsored by the Miami Yacht Club, Jungle Island, and Coastal Waste & Recycling along the shore of Watson Island to remove debris and conduct citizen science. We have a full lineup of additional offerings, including a volunteer breakfast, lunch and live music. An impactful and enjoyable experience will be had by all! Registration is required to participate. When possible, please have each guest in your party RSVP individually so we can ensure they get all the information and details about the event, and we can accurately plan for turnout. Important volunteer details:
- Please bring water in a reusable container and reusable utensils if you have them. Let’s reduce waste and refuse single-use disposable plastic water bottles. Water refill stations will be available.
- Download the Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell app to participate in the Citizen Science activity to log, tally and measure the impact of your cleanup.
- Dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear. This is a mangrove shoreline site and you should wear closed-toed shoes. Please don’t wear flip flops or sandals. Sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen are highly recommended.
- If you have your own reusable working or gardening type gloves, bring them. We will be providing gloves but cannot guarantee they will be in your size.
- Free parking will be located in the neighboring Jungle Island parking garage. Signs will be posted to direct volunteers.
- Check-in will be located at the entrance to the Miami Yacht Club at 1001 MacArthur Causeway. All volunteers MUST check-in and sign a waiver.
- This event is suitable for ages 6+. Youth, ages 15 and under, MUST be accompanied by a parent/guardian. If you are 16-17 years old and coming without a parent or guardian, you must have a parent/guardian Print, sign and return the waiver in advance.
Kicking off at 9:30am, we invite registered volunteers to check in and grab some breakfast snacks. Following welcome remarks, instructions and safety guidelines, volunteers will receive their cleanup supplies (buckets/gloves/pickers). The cleanup, weigh-in, sort and data count will run from 10am-12pm. Big Blue & You will be conducting their Break Free From Plastic brand audit to determine what companies packaging produced the most plastic litter. At 12:00 final data figures will be announced, and the celebration begins! Miami Yacht Club and the Rotary Club of Miami will come together to provide a waterfront lunch for participating volunteers, with live music. Cleanup volunteers will be invited to sit back, relax and lounge with us on the gorgeous patio area of the Miami Yacht Club until 2pm as the cool sea breeze fills our sails and whisks us away! Other activities include onsite water quality testing and a microplastic art project by Miami Waterkeepers, brand auditing of trash plus an interactive mural project by Big Blue & You, and an oyster shucking demonstration by Sereia Films. ***Waivers are required to participate***
- You can complete the online waivers here in advance to help expedite check-in on the day of.
- However, if you are under 18 and coming without a parent or guardian, you must have a parent/guardian print and sign the waiver HERE in advance, and bring it with you to the cleanup.
Learn more about Big Blue & You here: https://bigblueandyou.org/ Learn more about Sereia Films here: https://sereiafilms.org/ Learn more about Miami Waterkeeper here: https://www.miamiwaterkeeper.org/
VolunteerCleanup.org is grateful for our funding partners and this year’s inaugural Trashathon sponsors who are making per-pound pledges to support this high-impact annual event: The Miami Foundation, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Biscayne Bay Recovery Fund, Miami Beach Cupid Splash, Benjamin & Gloria Joannou, Jr. Family Conservation Fund, Miami-Dade County DERM, Waste Connections.
Read more about the history and impact of the International Coastal Cleanup.
What Should Volunteers Bring?
What Will Be Provided?
Parking Information
Free parking will be available in the Jungle Island Garage for registered participants.Organizer Information
