September 4, 2008
2:45 pm	to	5:15 pm

Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (B.E.A.C.H.) is organizing a clean-up of marine debris at Kahuku Beach as part of the 2008 International Year of the Reef — a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value and importance of coral reefs and threats to their sustainability — and to motivate people to take action to protect them.

Participants include Roz Savage, Blue Frontier Campaign, JUNK crew, Algalita Marine Research Foundation, B.E.A.C.H., Kokua Hawaii Foundation.  A short educational presentation will take place prior to the clean-up.  Participants will learn about marine debris, where it comes from and how it harms marine life. Volunteers will then help clear debris from the coastline. Marine debris from the North Pacific Sub-tropical Gyre accumulates on the windward side of the Hawaiian island chain. The purpose of the clean-up is both to clear the beach of marine debris as well as educate and bring public awareness. Besides the aesthetic reasons for beach clean-ups, clean-ups make people aware there is a need to clear this debris so that it cannot cause harm to marine life should it be washed back into the ocean. A prize drawing will take place at the end of the clean-up with prizes donated by Blue Frontier Campaign, Kale’s Natural Foods, EcoUsable and B.E.A.C.H.     

Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii is an all volunteer, non-profit organization working to bring awareness and solutions to the problem of marine debris on Hawaii’s beaches. For more information visit  www.b-e-a-c-h.org