GOOD SAM GIVES BACK FOR EARTH DAY
- Tiffany Remington
- April 24, 2021
- Location: Los Angelos, CA
- April 2021
- Good Sam Mobile Event
We were so excited to have hosted our first outdoor Good Sam Give Back with volunteers this past April for Earth Day. Over 30 volunteers gathered, socially-distant, at Salt Creek Beach in Southern California, to pick up trash and debri on the long-stretched beach.
There is an alarming rate of over 14 billion lbs of trash floating in the ocean. What makes matters worse is knowing that 70 percent of ocean garbage actually sinks to the seafloor, meaning we’re unlikely to ever be able to clean it up.
As volunteers showed up, there was an overwhelming sense of joy seeing faces come together for many, if not all, the first time after this past challenging year. It felt even better knowing that we were all coming together for a good cause and purpose.
With the sun shining and a cool breeze, participants took seats on their own picnic blanket to wait for instruction. While waiting, waters and snacks were passed around along with biodegradable garbage bags and gloves. For the safety and comfortability of each individual, we came loaded with sanitizer, pre-screened participants with COVID questions, had temperature checks on-site, asked everyone to remain masked as often as possible especially around shared, and provided the group with safety rules and protocols.
After the majority of check-ins, the crew dispersed along the sand and began their two hour beach clean. Some of the most common items found: food wrappers, plastic bottles, bottle caps, cigarette butts, random pieces of clothing, straws, and plastic bags.
At the two hour mark we had volunteers make their way back up on the hill to the picnic area to discuss debris that they found and used a scale to weigh their trash. To make it competitive and more fun, we set an award out for the individual who collected the most trash by weight. The competition was heated because they collected a little over 200 pounds, quite impressive!
The day wrapped up saying our farewells and expressing gratitude for sharing time with one another. There was a mutual understanding as everyone left that the environment is the responsibility of each and every one of us, and it is going to take everyone to do their small part on a day-to-day basis to keep our planet clean and thriving.
One of the most impactful ways to help is being conscious of our individual consumption and habits. Reduce, reuse, and recycle where we can. Together, we can make a difference! #GoodSamGivesBack #BeGoodDoGood