Are slobs trashing your favorite beach? Take action Saturday through Community Work Day Program’s “Get the Drift and Bag It!” cleanup.

“Get the Drift” is linked to the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup spanning more than 50 countries.

At Ukumehame Beach Park, Olowalu Beach and other sites around Maui County, volunteers will remove litter and record what they find.

In the 2008 cleanup, nearly 900 volunteers collected 16,000 pounds of litter and marine debris.

The rubbish included 500 plastic bags, 850 pieces of fishing gear, 1,500 recyclable beverage containers and 6,500 cigarette butts in Maui Nui alone. 

This data helps the Ocean Conservancy study marine debris, the origins of the trash and harmful effects on marine life.

The Ocean Conservancy determined that more than half of the junk on our coastlines comes from land-based activities. 

Community Work Day Executive Director Rhiannon Chandler explained that the wind can carry food wrappers, plastic bags and other debris for miles right down to the beach, or into streams and channels that lead to the ocean.

Walk down to the beach and you’ll probably find litter that poses a threat to marine life.

“Get the Drift & Bag It!” is your chance to do something about it. Take action to improve the health of our ocean with volunteers from around the world.

If your business, ‘ohana or neighborhood wants to tackle a project, contact CWD at 877-2524 or info@cwdhawaii.org. The nonprofit can supply you with trash bags, latex gloves and other cleanup supplies.