Okaloosa County Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism Seeks Volunteers for Earth Day Cleanup

Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism and Saltwater Restaurants is excited to host the Earth Day Cleanup on Saturday, April 29, 2023 from 8-10 a.m. Volunteers from businesses, government agencies, communities and families are all welcome to attend. The goal of the cleanup is to remove as much trash and debris from local beaches. There are multiple locations where volunteers of all ages can participate.  Join this local effort at any of the below cleanup locations by registering here.

• The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island (1450 Miracle Strip Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach, FL)
• The Crab Trap/James Lee Park (3500 Scenic HWY 98, Destin, FL)
• The Surf Hut (551 Scenic Gulf Dr, Miramar Beach, FL)
• Norriego Point (1 Gulf Shore Dr, Destin, FL)
• Clement Taylor Park (131 Calhoun Ave, Destin, FL)
• Henderson Beach State Park (17000 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Destin, FL)

“Keeping our environment clean is a priority we should all adopt,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “We are thankful for so many partners in this effort and look forward to celebrating the successes of this and future projects.” 

Participants will receive an event t-shirt (limited quantities, first come, first served) and a post cleanup breakfast will be available free of charge at The Boardwalk, The Crab Trap, and The Surf Hut locations. Volunteers are asked to bring their own bucket, mesh bag, gloves, and grabbers to collect trash. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring water and sunscreen. 

Volunteers collected 1,000 pounds of garbage and over 8,000 cigarette butts during the most recent beach cleanup event, the International Coastal Cleanup. Marine debris is a detriment to our local ecosystem and causes health problems for seabirds and coastal marine life. This collaborative effort will allow us to keep our beaches pristine and help wildlife thrive. 

“The Earth Day Cleanup is a great way to bring the community together and do good for the environment. Removing trash and debris not only protects the environment, but the health of our communities and local wildlife. Although the Earth Day Cleanup is held only once a year, we should treat every day like Earth Day to ensure future generations have a clean and safe home,” said Jessica Valek, Coastal Resource Coordinator, Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism. 

A fun addition to the Earth Day Cleanup this year will be the presence of the Keep Florida Beautiful BeBot. The BeBot is a solar-powered beach cleaning robot that sifts small pieces of debris from the surface layers of sand. The BeBot was donated to Keep Florida Beautiful by Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation and is being hosted for this event by our very own affiliate, Keep Okaloosa Beautiful.

Thank you to the event sponsors: The Boardwalk, The Crab Trap, Okaloosa County, Visit South Walton, City of Destin, Florida State Parks, Florida Sea Grant, Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program, The Surf Hut, The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Emerald Coast Science Center, Step One Automotive, The Gulfarium, Destin Brewery, Waste Management, Keep Florida Beautiful, Keep Okaloosa Beautiful, Eco Clean Marine, Forever Warriors, WET Inc., Trees on The Coast 

For more information on Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, please visit www.destinfwb.com.