Point of the Arches by Sam Beebe/Ecotrust via Creative Commons

Earth Day 2010 happens on April 22 but you can get a head start on the celebration by joining in the Washington Coast Cleanup 2010 on April 17.

We’re lucky to live in a state with such a beautiful coastline as ours and to show our gratitude to Mother Earth, we really ought to give her a helping hand or two by taking out the trash that accumulates on our beaches. Thousands of marine mammals, fish and seabirds are gravely harmed, even killed, by household plastics, fishing nets, tires and other bits of junk and waste.

Help clean up this trash by signing up as a volunteer to clean Washington beaches from Sooes Beach in the north all the way down to Long Beach. Washington Coast Savers have plenty of opportunities for anyone interested in taking part. Volunteers will collect trash and carry it off beaches to designated collection points. Additional volunteers are needed to help coordinate all this activity so if you want to help but have a hard time walking far or carrying trash bags, you still have a chance to participate.

Want to help but can’t make it out to the beach? You can donate funds used for purchasing garbage bags, paying disposal fees, creating signs and getting all the other supplies needed for the event online through Discover Your Northwest or by sending a check (payable to “Washington CoastSavers”) to:

Washington CoastSavers Program
c/o Discover Your Northwest
164 S. Jackson St.
Seattle, WA 98104