Climate & Nature...

For the past nine years, Justin Rudd has organized a monthly beach cleanup of the beach around Granada Avenue in Long Beach, California. On the third Saturday of every month, volunteers show up at 10 AM to comb the beach for garbage, socialize, and take part in keeping the natural beauty of their community intact. The 30-Minute Cleanup team provides trash bags, gloves, and refreshments courtesy of a variety of local sponsors. Over time, the event has grown and its popularity has blossomed, to the point that the average cleanup now boasts over 150 participants!

In order to encourage participation, Rudd decided to make the cleanups short, in order to emphasize the fun, positive aspect of the activity. And it worked. The cleanups have been growing in popularity since they first started, all the way back in June of 1999. At this point, the 30-Minute Beach Cleanups have become a widely recognized community event in the Long Beach area. In fact, Rudd recently received the Hal Albertson Volunteer of the Year Award from Keep California Beautiful, a non-profit dedicated to maintaining California’s natural beauty. While he’s honored to receive the award, Rudd plans to continue his efforts to keep his community litter-free and beautiful for years to come.

For more information on 30-Minute beach cleanups, click here.