The Power of Beach Cleanups: From Community Building to Policy Change

In this episode, join the Surfrider Foundation's Healthy Beaches Program Manager Jenny Harrah and Plastic Pollution Initiative Sr. Manager Miho Ligare as they break down the data behind the organization's 40-year beach cleanup program — including the 2025 Beach Cleanup Report, which tracked the efforts of 34,000 volunteers at over 1,000 cleanups to remove 340,000 pounds of trash from beaches across the U.S.  This conversation explores why plastic pollution accounts for 85% of what's collected, why cigarette butts remain the #1 item found nationwide, and how Surfrider's volunteer-collected data, powered by the Better Beach Alliance, is used to drive meaningful change in environmental policy and legislation. Plus, learn how anyone can host their own beach cleanup, even without a local Surfrider chapter nearby. Visit https://www.surfrider.org/pages/beach... to learn more and get involved now!