FAIRHOPE — Alabama's 37th Coastal Cleanup inspired local volunteers to pick up trash in cities and beaches across Baldwin County's coastline.

The City of Fairhope hosted a cleanup zone next to the Fairhope Pier where residents gathered to receive gloves, plastic bags and Coastal Cleanup team shirts. While several volunteers cleaned up along the bayside beach, a majority hit the streets to pick up trash as encouraged by city officials.

"Anything inland can end up in storm drains and end up in the bay, so we want to educate people about that as we're doing Coastal Cleanup," Mayor Sherry Sullivan said at the Coastal Cleanup event.

Paige Crawford, director of community affairs for the City of Fairhope, said she regularly encourages people to pick up trash in their neighborhoods, city parks or public access areas. Sullivan suggested that residents can find cleanup spots around recreation fields in the city, too.

Both Crawford and Sullivan said they have volunteered for Coastal Cleanup events for about the past 20 years.

Several businesses, clubs, organizations and families attended the Fairhope site for the Coastal Cleanup on Sept. 21. Crawford said this site typically sees around 500 volunteers of all ages each year.

Sullivan said some of the most common volunteers are local businesses and groups like environmental and marine clubs from Fairhope High School. Crawford said the event is "a community effort" when discussing how many groups participate.

Crawford said she regularly sees community members picking up trash on
morning walks, which helps to keep the area "pretty tidy" throughout the year.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup event has partnered with Osprey Initiative since 2019 to recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles. The event's official website says this effort "benefits you and the environment."

While the Alabama Coastal Cleanup event is typically held on the third Saturday in September, residents across the county can continue to pick up trash and practice recycling in their environment any day of the year.