Volunteers to pick up trash at 21st GLO beach cleanup

Rain or shine, the 21st annual Adopt-ABeach (AAB) Fall Cleanup will be held Saturday, Sept. 22.

All along the Texas coast, volunteers will clean and record data at the 26 check-in sites of the Texas General Land Office (GLO) AAB program, announced Commissioner Jerry Patterson.

Two of the 11 AAB cleanup sites in the Coastal Bend are under Port Aransas coordinator Bruce Reynolds' jurisdiction. One is at Avenue G and the beach, and another is on San Jose (St. Jo) Island.

The St. Jo limit of volunteers has been reached, but volunteers still may register for the Avenue G and the beach location at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. However, large groups are asked to let Reynolds know ahead of time.

Reynolds may be reached at (361) 749-0215 or via e-mail at bruce.reynolds@texasadoptab each.org.

Data cards, gloves, pencils and trash bags will be distributed to volunteers who are advised to wear closed-toe shoes, bring sunscreen and plenty of drinking water.

Additional all-volunteer cleanups are scheduled for the winter and spring.

This year, Texans who are not able to attend the cleanup can help keep Texas beaches clean by making a tax-deductible donation online. There are several different Adopt-A-Beach sponsorship levels ranging from $25 to $25,000, allowing both individuals and corporations to contribute to this major cleanup effort.

"Seventy percent of trash found on Texas beaches is left behind by average beachgoers," Patterson said. "Humans created this problem, and humans have a responsibility to fix it. I urge all my fellow Texans to join me at the beach and help turn the tide against trash."

Texas beaches receive large amounts of marine debris due to a convergence of currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Since 1986, more than 355,000 Adopt-A-Beach volunteers have picked up more than 6,700 tons of this debris, some of it originating from as far away as Greece.

Volunteers record data on the trash to learn more about the causes of marine debris and to help mitigate pollution along Texas' 367 miles of coastline.

The success of the AAB program is made possible by the efforts of dedicated volunteers and the support of community leaders and sponsors across the state, according to Patterson. This year the statewide Fall Cleanup sponsors include Shell Oil Company, Rowan Companies, Inc., Lyondell Chemical Company, ExxonMobil, Halliburton and the Ocean Conservancy.

For a complete listing of cleanup sites for the cleanup, to learn how to participate, or for additional information on the program, visit www. texasadoptabeach.org, or contact the GLO at 1-877-TX COAST.