National Beach Day

Beaches are beautiful and amazing to enjoy! But they also need to be taken care of and National Beach Day is a time where people are encouraged to do just that.

History of National Beach Day

Beaches are places that are beloved by so many, with access to salt-water oceans or fresh-water lakes, beaches encourage healthy and fun outdoor activities like swimming, sports, building sandcastles, having a picnic, playing frisbee and simply enjoying the feel of sand between the toes.

But just like many of the earth’s precious areas, the world’s beaches are degrading due to human interference as well as global climate change. National Beach Day certainly encouraged people to spend time enjoying the beaches, as well as making them more enjoyable for everyone.

National Beach Day was founded in 2014 by animal activist and lifestyle expert, Colleen Paige. Her motivation for starting the day was to get humans to clean up the natural resources of the beaches to make them beautiful and sustainable so everyone can enjoy them for a long time into the future.

How to Celebrate National Beach Day

Try out some of these ideas for celebrating National Beach Day:

Head to the Beach

National Beach Day is about more than just getting to the beach and lying around soaking up the sunshine – although enjoyment of the beach can certainly be part of it. The greater purpose behind the day is for everyone to do their part to clean up some not-so-tidy parts of the beach. So grab a trash bag, and perhaps a friend as well, and join in on cleaning up the beach.

Join or Organize a Beach Cleanup

Get involved and join forces with a group that is sponsoring a beach cleanup in honor of National Beach Day. This usually includes a gathering together in the morning and pursuing a dedicated, organized effort to clean individual sections of the beach.

And if there isn’t a beach cleanup in the local area? Then start one! It’s a great time to raise awareness, recruit friends, tell folks at work or get family members to get excited about the opportunity to make a difference for the planet on National Beach Day.

Make a Donation to Charity

Those who don’t live near a beach or who can’t get there to clean up can still be part of celebrating National Beach Day. Take part in the event by making a donation to a charity that supports keeping oceans and other waterways clean.

Consider one of these charities for making a donation:

• Surfrider Foundation. This organization believes the beach belongs to everyone, so they fight for ocean protection, plastic reduction, beach access, clean water and coastal preservation. 
• Oceana. The largest organization in the world that is devoted only to the conservation of marine life. It works to end sources of pollution like oil and shipping emissions, as well as creating campaigns to protect vulnerable ocean places. 
• The Nature Conservancy. Since 1951, this group has been protecting natural places, including beaches and waters.