Sustainability

The natural beauty of Galveston's beaches is a major draw for visitors, but with that comes the responsibility of preserving and protecting the environment.

Whether you're a first-time visitor or a regular beachgoer, there are many ways that you can help curb littering and keep our beaches free of trash. Together, we can make a positive impact on the environment and help to keep Galveston beautiful.

At the core of this campaign is a yellow mesh litter bag with the empowering Up2U message, which can hold approximately 1/3 yard of litter and serves as a tool for trash removal, prevention, and outreach.

The Galveston Park Board provides these bags in boxes located at East Beach Park, Seawall Beachfront east of 61st Street Fishing Pier, Beach Access Point 29, 27th Street, and Seawolf Park.

The Galveston Beach Ambassador Program is a volunteer initiative for beach-goers committed to keeping the beaches clean. Participants are given a 'swag bag' of tools to make beach cleaning easier and create a communication line with the Park Board's Coastal Zone Management.

The program is an excellent opportunity to make a difference in preserving Galveston's beaches' beauty and environmental integrity.

The Beach Toy Borrow Boxes were brought to the island as a pilot project with the aim of mitigating the number of beach toys that end up as litter. Beach toys are a type of trash we see in abundance through our Coastal Zone Management daily beach cleaning efforts.

We noticed families were leaving their beach toys on the sand with the kind intention of thinking that other families would use them. However, this rarely happens; instead, they end up as trash. The beach toy borrow boxes create a location where families can play with the toys for free, and then return them to the box or take them home.

Locations: Pocket Park 2 and on the 61st Street access point.

Volunteering With Beach Clean Up Groups

Volunteering to do beach clean-ups is a great way to impact the environment and the local community positively. By dedicating some time and effort to picking up litter and debris on the beach, you can help prevent harmful pollutants from entering the ocean and endangering marine life. Additionally, it can be a fun and rewarding experience to work alongside like-minded individuals who share a passion for preserving the beauty of our beaches.

Here are some local organizations you can volunteer with:

Turtle Island Restoration Network

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Galveston Bay Foundation

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SPLASh Coastal Cleanups

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Hold On To Your Butt is a Surfrider Foundation campaign aimed at eliminating cigarette butt litter and pollution because of the impact on beaches and the ocean.