Three branches, one alliance
Cleaning Washington's coast since 1971.
CoastSavers has three branches of history that came together as a unified alliance in 2007. Here's how we got here.
- 1
1971
Pacific Northwest Four Wheelers begin
The Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association launches "Operation Shore Patrol" on Washington's southern beaches — the earliest coordinated cleanup we trace our history to.
- 2
2000
Olympic Coast Cleanup founded
Seattle environmentalist Jan Klippert founds the Olympic Coast Cleanup as an Earth Day activity for the hard-to-reach wilderness beaches of the northern coast.
- 3
2000
Grass Roots Garbage Gang forms
Civic-minded volunteers in Long Beach launch the Grass Roots Garbage Gang and start their three-cleanups-a-year tradition: winter storm debris in January, Earth Day in April, post-fireworks in July.
- 4
2007
The Alliance forms
A NOAA Marine Debris Program grant brings the founding groups together to plan a unified strategy. The Washington Clean Coast Alliance is born — and quickly becomes simply "CoastSavers".
- 5
Today
Thousands of volunteers
CoastSavers coordinates three cleanups a year across Washington's outer coast and Salish Sea, with steering-committee partners from non-profits, agencies, and tribal nations.
Want the long version?
Visit our About page for the full story — including all twelve alliance partners and how the steering committee runs the program today.
About CoastSavers