REI and United by Blue's Topanga Beach Cleanup

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About United By Blue

Location:

144 N. 2nd St., United States, Philadelphia, PA 19106, US

Mission Statement

United By Blue, UBB, is a brand of sustainable apparel and accessories with a simple and effective concept. For every product sold, we remove one pound of trash from our world's oceans and waterways.

Visit www.unitedbyblue.com to learn more about our ocean-friendly products and complete list of waterway cleanup events.

Description

United By Blue is using the power of business to make a big impact on our environment. For every product sold from our line of organic t-shirts, canvas bags, and jewelry, we remove a pound of trash from oceans and waterways around the country.

Volunteer FAQs

What should I bring?

We provide our volunteers with bags, bamboo gloves, shovels, grabbers, water, coffee and a free breakfast or lunch. You just need to show up in long pants and old closed toed shoes.

How old do I have to be to volunteer?

We ask volunteers that be at least 14 years old. Any minor attending our cleanups needs to have a waiver filled out by their parent prior to the cleanup. Click here to download one. Please email cleanup@unitedbyblue.com for further clarifications.

May I bring a friend, spouse, relative, or my entire soccer team?

Yes, yes, yes, and yes. The more the merrier! We don’t put a cap on the amount of people that can give back. However, we like to be prepared to supply and feed as many people as we can, so please let us know how many people are coming with you.

Can I use your volunteer opportunity for service hours?

Absolutely! Any UBB staff can sign off for your hours at the cleanup or we have a verification letter we can give you.

What happens if it rains?

If it sprinkles, it’s still on. Once it starts to thunder and lightning, it’s a completely different story. If Mother Nature is finicky, check our website, facebook, and your inbox the day of the cleanup. We will notify if the cleanup is cancelled.

Will I be getting in the water?

We prefer to stay on land, but volunteers are more than welcome to take a dip if they are so inclined.

How does the cleanup work?

Our cleanups kick off with breakfast, a 15-minute orientation and safety overview, and then we dish out supplies. Depending on the site, volunteers fan out along riverbanks or beaches, removing plastic bottles, bags, chip wrappers, and stryofoam pieces. After volunteers have turned in their full bags in exchange for new ones, we weigh all of the trash. After about 2-3 hours of cleaning, the cleanup concludes with weirdest trash and guess the total weight competitions.