Adopt a Beach

What is our goal? The aim of this program is to collect data while also removing the immediate threat of debris from beaches in an effort to protect the health of the ocean

What is the problem? Marine debris is one of the major threats facing whales, dolphins, turtles, and other marine life. We have been studying marine debris here in Hawaii and know that it is a pervasive issue and our hope is that this program will raise awareness within the local community. We want to empower residents of our island to actively become stewards of our ocean.

How do we do it? With this type of community scientist data collection, we will be able to collect data more accurately and consistently so that we can identify trends in marine debris accumulation around the island. The data will be used to guide and support relevant legislation and help identify education campaigns surrounding marine debris.

Are you a Maui County resident looking to become an ocean steward? Adopt a Beach!

What is your role as a community scientist?

1 beach for 1 year

Choose your preferred beach or shoreline to steward for the next year

12 cleanups in 1 year

Once per month, you will remove and record all man-made debris you come across

How to join

Visit Better Impact to fill out an application to adopt, or sign in if you have volunteered with us before
Wait for application to be accepted
Once accepted, you will be able to login and select your preferred beach to adopt

Before a cleanup

Select the first, second, third, or fourth week of the month to clean your beach
Schedule your one-time pickup of reusable supplies by contacting Shelby at [email protected]ficwhale.org or 808-856-8344
Head to your beach and start your marine debris cleanup and data collection

After each cleanup

Snap a photo of your data sheet
Email it to [email protected] OR upload it to the Better Impact portal
Recycle what you can, and dispose of the rest responsibly. You can find items accepted in Maui County for recycling HERE

Participant requirements

Participants must reside in Maui County, or one of the Hawaiian Islands – for now!
Participants must sign up through Better Impact in order to reserve their beach
Participants must be willing to commit to an entire year of data collection (opportunities to re-sign on after one year). If you plan to take a vacation, or can’t make it one month, we understand. See FAQs below for what to do if you can’t make a cleanup.
Participants must watch the training video (see to the right)

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I cannot do my clean one month?

There is a community board through your Better Impact account where you can reach out to other members of the program to see if they can cover you. If you cannot get coverage – let Shelby know and she will help find a solution!

What about supplies?

Each program member will receive reusable supplies (gloves, bag, data collection sheet, pen) to conduct their cleanup and collect their data. If you lose one of these items, we encourage you to be creative and resourceful and search for some of your own reusable items to replace. If you cannot find a replacement, reach out and we will help you.

What is the best way to clean the beach?

For marine debris research, we encourage you to use a “line transect” method – this looks like zig-zagging between the waterline and the shrub line as you go.

What if there are only a couple pieces of debris at my beach?

ALL DATA IS VALUABLE. We want to know debris trends across the island. If the trend is minimal debris, that is important and we want to know!

What if there is more than what I can collect at my beach?

DO YOUR BEST. At some beaches, you may find that there is a TON of tiny pieces of plastic. Please remove what you can and record an EXACT number, as opposed to “lots” or “tons”. For data purposes, we need a numerical value.

What should I wear?

We recommend sun protection and gloves. Closed-toe shoes are encouraged on certain beaches. Please wear a mask when social distancing from members outside of your household is not possible. Beyond those things – up to you and your comfort level!

Want to help but can’t commit to helping once a month? Check out our Coastal Marine Debris Monitoring Program for an opportunity to contribute to our growing database — community science on your own time!