We know that we cannot clean our way out of this ocean plastic mess, but we’ve always believed that cleanups can provide an eye-opening experience that will put people on a path to being part of the solution. So the obvious question is, how do cleanups affect the participants?
In 2021 and 2022, we started sending a post-event survey to the 3,000 volunteers who participate in our annual International Coastal Cleanup event, and the data shows that cleanups have a powerful impact on awareness, education, and behavior.
Some highlights:
- 66% had an increase in knowledge about marine debris from attending a cleanup
- 73% committed to using fewer single-use plastics
- 96% want to do more to protect the environment
- 81% committed to attending another cleanup.
- One of our favorite quotes is: “People can do some extraordinary things if they work together for a cause.”
