ADVISORY: Ocean Conservancy Invites Volunteers to Join Olympians, Paralympians for Beach Cleanup at a Site of LA28 Games on September 19
Celebrate the International Coastal Cleanup and California Coastal Cleanup Day with USA Artistic Swimming, Other Olympic and Paralympic Athletes
LONG BEACH – Ocean Conservancy is calling for volunteers in the Los Angeles area to join its flagship International Coastal Cleanup ® (ICC) event on Saturday, September 19 at Alamitos Beach. Held annually every September and known in California as Coastal Cleanup Day, the ICC is the largest volunteer beach and waterway cleanup effort in the world, with thousands of cleanups happening in more than 100 countries. Since 1986, nearly 20 million volunteers have joined local cleanup efforts to remove over 400 million pounds of trash.
The Alamitos Beach event has special significance as part of Ocean Conservancy’s Protect Where We Play initiative, which leverages the reach of athletes, artists and major events to mobilize millions of fans in support of ocean conservation. The event will unite members of Team USA Artistic Swimming, including Olympic silver medalist Anita Alvarez, alongside representatives from the Mayor’s Office at one of the locations to feature Olympic and Paralympic competitions in 2028. Alvarez is an official Team Ocean Captain, supporting Ocean Conservancy’s Protect Where We Play effort to mobilize sports fans for the health of our ocean.
The event is free and open to the public with registration.
| WHO | – Janis Searles Jones, CEO, Ocean Conservancy – Nicholas Mallos, Vice President, Ending Ocean Plastics program, Ocean Conservancy – Allison Schutes, Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Ocean Conservancy – Adam Andrasko, CEO, USA Artistic Swimming – Anita Alvarez, silver medalist, USA Artistic Swimming and Protect Where We Play Team Ocean Captain – John Moffett, two-time Olympian and president of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians Alumni Association, Southern California chapter – Rex Richardson, Mayor, City of Long Beach – Hundreds of local volunteers |
| WHAT | At Ocean Conservancy’s flagship International Coastal Cleanup event in the LA area and part of the organization’s Protect Where We Play initiative, professional athletes and volunteers will help protect sensitive habitats and marine life while contributing to cutting-edge plastic pollution research and providing data that fuels policy change. All cleanup materials will be provided (gloves, bags) along with a t-shirt and reusable water bottle (while supplies last). Timeline: Breakfast A short speaking program Cleanup Lunch |
| WHEN | Sat., September 19, 2026, 9AM-12PM PT |
| WHERE | Alamitos Beach 380 E Shoreline Drive Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| CONTACT | To RSVP as a volunteer, visit https://bit.ly/LBICC2026. Members of the press can RSVP for the ICC in Long Beach or set up interviews with the spokespeople listed above by contacting Jordana Lewis at [email protected] or 301.873.4484. |
What Organizers and Partners Are Saying
“There’s no better place to be celebrating both the ocean and the power of sports and entertainment for good,” said Janis Searles Jones, Ocean Conservancy’s chief executive officer. “We are excited to be making a tangible impact on the beach while spreading awareness of just how important the ocean is to the places and activities that bring us joy.”
“Science has shown time and time again how valuable cleanups are for our ocean and all the wildlife that call it home,” said Allison Schutes, senior director of conservation cleanups at Ocean Conservancy. “We are excited to welcome volunteers to this event so they can see for themselves how much we can do together.”
“Los Angeles 2028 may still be two years away, but the opportunity to make a positive impact on the host community starts now,” said Adam Andrasko, CEO of USA Artistic Swimming. “Working alongside Ocean Conservancy through Protect Where We Play gives our athletes and members a meaningful way to put our values into action, care for the places that bring us together and leave a lasting legacy beyond the competition.”
“It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that I love the water,” said Anita Alverez, silver medalist from USA Artistic Swimming. “Like so many swimmers, the ocean has played a huge role in my life. I’m proud to support this important work as I continue training toward LA 2028.”
“Sports have given me so much, and I want future generations to have safe, healthy places to play, too,” said Ezra Frech, gold-medalist track and field athlete for the USA paralympic team and a Team Ocean Captain. “Protecting our ocean is part of that, and I’m proud to join the Long Beach community in taking action right here at home.”
“Long Beach’s beaches and waterways are central to who we are as a city and to our role in the 2028 Games,” said City of Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson. “This California Coastal Cleanup Day, we are leveling up the excitement for the upcoming Games by bringing our community and partners together to help care for the shoreline we all cherish and ensure the legacy of the Games extends far beyond the field of play.”
Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup® supporters help this important work come to life. They include Hard Rock International, Warner Brothers Discovery, Bank of America, Pacific Life Foundation, KPMG LLP and XTRATUF. In addition, Hydro Flask supports cleanups through our Protect Where We Play initiative.
The International Coastal Cleanup media kit with photos, b-roll and data can be found HERE.
You can find toplines from the 2025 ICC data HERE.
You can find the full 2025 ICC report HERE.
ABOUT PROTECT WHERE WE PLAY
Protect Where We Play (PWWP) is an Ocean Conservancy initiative uniting sports and entertainment industries to protect the ocean by leveraging athletes, artists, teams, events and venues to mobilize millions of fans worldwide. Together, we combat climate change and preserve the future of sports, entertainment and all the places we play and find joy. www.protectwhereweplay.com #protectwhereweplay
ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY
For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram.
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