Texas Adopt-A-Beach 2018 Cleanups & Marine Debris Poster

With 367 miles of Gulf beaches and more than 3,300 miles of bays and estuaries, Texas has one of the longest coastlines in the country.The Texas General Land Office protects and re-nourishes the state's coastal areas by restoring beaches swept away by erosion and storms, bolstering shorelines, and restoring dunes and marshes. It is also home to Texas Adopt-A-Beach, a state-wide beach cleanup program organizing thousands of volunteers who clear trash from public beaches and bayous. The General Land Office organized the first cleanup in 1986, in partnership with the Center for Marine Conservation (now the Ocean Conservancy). In just two hours, 2,800 volunteers picked up 124 tons of trash from 122 miles of Texas coastline. This movement later spread as other states joined the effort, ultimately creating the International Coastal Cleanup, now managed by the Ocean Conservancy.Numerous companies, schools, churches, and scout groups bring their volunteers to clean the beaches and waterways in their communities. Through our two large cleanups, and many smaller ones, thousands of Texans show their dedication to keeping Texas beaches clean. Since 1986, more than 505,000 volunteers have removed 9,400 tons of trash from accessible Texas beaches and estuaries.