Fort Walton Beach, Florida, September 19, 2026

Eco Clean Marine, in partnership with Destin-Fort Walton Beach Florida, brought an incredible crowd together this weekend for a successful coastal trash pickup at The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island in Fort Walton Beach.

On Saturday, September 19, 300 volunteers showed up ready to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. In just two hours, this incredible group collected 186 lbs of trash, including an eye opening 5 lbs of cigarette butts!

300 People. Two Hours. A Big Impact.

From the moment volunteers arrived, the energy was contagious. Families, community members, visitors, and environmental supporters came together with one shared goal: keeping our coast cleaner and protecting the waterways we all enjoy.

Every piece of litter collected represents one less piece of trash sitting on our shoreline and one less chance for that trash to make its way into our waterways or affect marine life.

And the cigarette butts deserve a special mention. Five pounds may sound small, but cigarette butts are one of the most commonly found forms of litter during coastal cleanups. Removing them from the environment helps keep harmful waste away from our beaches, waterways, and wildlife.

The Power of Showing Up

A cleanup is about more than picking up trash. It is about people coming together and realizing that small actions can create a much bigger impact when we do them as a community.

With 300 volunteers working together, what might have seemed like a mountain of litter became a shared mission, and in just two hours, the results spoke for themselves.

Eco Clean Marine is grateful to every volunteer who gave their time, energy, and effort to make this event such a success. We are also thankful to Destin Fort Walton Beach Florida for partnering with us and helping bring the community together for a day focused on coastal care.

Keeping Our Coast Clean, One Cleanup at a Time

Events like this show what is possible when people choose to take action. Every bottle, wrapper, cigarette butt, and piece of litter removed from the environment is a step toward cleaner waterways and healthier coastal communities.

Eco Clean Marine looks forward to continuing this important work and creating more opportunities for volunteers to get involved.

Want to be part of the next cleanup? Keep an eye out for upcoming Eco Clean Marine events and join us in protecting the places we love.

Together, we can make waves for a cleaner coast. 🌊♻️

About Eco Clean Marine

Eco Clean Marine is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting waterways and marine life through community cleanup events, environmental education, and coastal stewardship. By bringing people together to take action, Eco Clean Marine works to create cleaner, healthier coastal environments for generations to come.