geekgrrl0

Not OP but I live on Vancouver Island in Canada and we do beach cleanups almost every weekend. You could join a local Surfrider chapter or start your own. They are always doing beach cleanups (solo nowadays but used to be group events), water quality testing (to check if it's safe to swim/surf and collating the data for use around the continent), and Hold On To Your Butt campaigns/events with a goal to keep harmful cigarette waste out of marine environments. I'm sure there's other orgs that do beach cleanups too :) and I'm sure there's many ways to help the oceans that aren't mentioned here, this is just one of my favourites

Also, it's "hosts" like this that are hurting local communities by basically running a hotel. I only stay with those that have 1 or 2 properties and prefer to stay in the same house as them. This way I know they're real hosts and not short-term landlords jacking up rents in areas so local people can't afford to live there, if they can even find long-term rentals available.

Welcome! Yes, SFVI (Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island) is super active here, esp if you're in the Greater Victoria Area. There are other orgs that do beach cleanups too, Orca Rescue Society and Watershed Watch Salmon Society are the two I've taken part in. Vancouver Island is full of people and orgs trying to save the oceans, the salmon, the orcas, and the old growth... So you should have no problem getting involved if you want to.

That said, because of strict social distancing measures, most of the cleanups are solo or within your own "pod". But cleanups are even more important now with all the additional take-out food and disposable mask waste. Get a bucket, some gloves, and close-toed shoes and wander on the beach picking stuff up :) It's a great way to enjoy the natural beauty, get some exercise (lots of squats!), and even meet friendly dogs!

Such a great book and message. It's ridiculous how much we protect inanimate property but allow living beings to be destroyed or live in awful standards.