Every day can be filled with opportunities to help the environment if you keep an eye out. But this weekend, two international cleanup efforts are going on that you can hardly miss. The International Coastal Cleanup is Sept. 19 and Clean Up The World Weekend is going on from Sept. 18-20. Both cleanups will provide great opportunities around the world to make a positive impact on the environment.

Clear Beach Trash On International Coastal Cleanup Day

Unfortunately, the trash people produce ends up all over the world including the oceans. Plastic and microbeads in particular have especially negative effects, as these materials easily pollute our water and can be ingested by marine animals and birds.

Days like the International Coastal Cleanup make a huge difference, but only if you get involved! The Ocean Conservancy reported that 560,000 volunteers around the world collected more than 16 million pounds of trash for the International Coastal Cleanup in 2014.  You can help make those numbers go higher this year by participating in cleanup event near you on Sept. 19.

Although the International Coastal Cleanup is aimed at cleaning ocean trash, it doesn’t mean you can’t use the date to clean up your local lake or river. All waterways can become polluted if they aren’t maintained. Since many inland waterways eventually empty into the ocean anyway, you can be part of the solution by stopping trash before it reaches the ocean.

If you can’t make it to a cleanup event, you may be interested in spreading the word about plastic pollution by sharing our infographic on bottled water waste. Plastic water bottles often end up in the ocean, but consuming them also gives you a bigger water footprint.

Get Involved In Clean Up The World Weekend

If you can’t stop cleaning after the International Coastal Cleanup, then you can keep on going during the Clean Up the World Weekend Sept. 18-20. This international event is held the third weekend in September each year. If you’ve never participated before, this year is a great year to start.

In addition to cleaning up trash, you can help the environment during Clean Up the World Weekend by planting a tree, conserving water, recycling at home, or simply raising awareness for saving the environment in your community. This year’s theme is “Our Place… Our Planet… Our Responsibility,” which inspires personal accountability for the state of our environment. Everyone impacts the environment every day, and it’s up to you to make your impact a positive one!

If you have a community activity in mind, you can still register it on the Clean Up the World website to get the word out. Every effort can make a positive difference!

Make A Difference By Donating Your Car This Weekend

Another way to do something positive for the environment this weekend is to donate your car and upgrade to a more fuel-efficient one. You can also choose to go car-free and utilize public transportation instead. No matter your reason for donating, you’ll feel great knowing that your car donation to Wheels For Wishes also helps your local chapter of Make-A-Wish grant more wishes for children facing critical illnesses.

We accept nearly all vehicles and provide free towing whether they run or not. Your car, truck, boat, RV or motorcycle will be auctioned or recycled, and the proceeds from its sale will benefit Make-A-Wish.

To give your car a bigger purpose, please call us at 1-877-431-9474 or make your donation using our online car donation form. Each donation helps Make-A-Wish grant more wishes for deserving kids!