Litter Sweep & Clean-Ups — The Outside Foundation

Litter Sweeps & Clean-Ups

Each year, The Outside Foundation hosts litter sweeps and waterway clean-ups—by foot, kayak, and on the beach. Since 2014, more than 15.5 tons of trash have been removed from local parks, waterways, and beaches, thanks to the help of over 3,400 volunteers.

About the Program

Here at The Outside Foundation we believe “every day is Earth Day” and as such we provide opportunities for volunteers of all ages to “make a natural area - park, waterway, or beach - better and cleaner than they found it.” Over the past 11 years we have hosted 112 litter sweeps and engaged more than 3,500 volunteers, removing 15.3 tons of trash from our local environment.

A woman and two young girls on a sandy beach, holding trash bags and a trash picker, participating in a beach cleanup.

Four kids and an adult at an outdoor event, holding bags, under a tent with a sign that says 'Get Kids Outside', promoting outdoor activities for children.

A young girl and an adult man standing on a wooden boardwalk outdoors, holding large green trash bags filled with trash. The girl is smiling and wearing a pink hoodie with Tom and Jerry characters. The man is smiling, wearing a blue Palmetto 200 T-sh

Group of four people on a dock with green trash bags filled with trash and cleaning supplies, holding a large rock and a piece of wood, in front of water and boats, with apartment buildings in the background.

Hand holding a pile of trash, including a crumpled plastic bottle and other debris, in an outdoor muddy area with green fields and cloudy sky in the background.

Piles of outdoor trash including black and green garbage bags, a tire, cardboard, and miscellaneous debris on grass by a roadside with green foliage.

Group of people standing under a bridge, holding green trash bags filled with trash, next to a car and a pile of collected waste, during a cleanup event.

A plastic bag caught among rocks and dry twigs in a natural outdoor setting with small green plants.

Cigarette butts and ash scattered on a wooden deck, with a bucket labeled "Thestraw" and some miscellaneous items nearby.

A woman and two children standing outdoors at a community event, smiling for the camera. The woman is holding a trash picker and is dressed casually with sunglasses and a baseball cap. One girl and one boy are standing beside her, with tents and othe

Organize a Group Service Project

Litter sweeps are a hands-on way for businesses, organizations, schools, and community groups to come together, building stronger connections while helping protect our natural spaces. Groups often include friends, family, colleagues, and community members. Cleanups can be organized anywhere in Beaufort County.

A man wearing sunglasses, a teal long-sleeve shirt, khaki shorts, and hiking boots holding two green plastic bags standing on a dock near boats with a marina and a building with a red roof in the background.

People in a kayak at a dock with a marina and boats in the background.

Three women standing outdoors on a beach, wearing hats, sunglasses, and holding green trash bags, participating in a beach cleanup activity during the day with a blue sky and ocean in the background.

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