Comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Those are two of the items volunteers used to create a trash-free Alabama Gulf Coast. Hats, gloves, water and trash bags are also items that came in handy when cleaning the beach.

The Alabama Coastal Cleanup, held in conjunction with the International Coastal Cleanup, was Sept. 17, 2016. In Baldwin County that day, volunteers were asked to help collect trash and debris toward the goal of creating a healthy coastline and ocean.

In its 28-year history, the Alabama Coastal Cleanup has collected 1.5 million pounds of trash from Alabama’s coastline and waterways through the efforts of 83,000 volunteers.

Under the new rules of Leave Only Footprints adopted by both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, visitors must collect their beach gear and garbage each day before leaving the beach. They must also fill holes deeper than 12 inches.

On the beach and want to make a difference?  Ken Grimes, city administrator for Orange Beach, believes the problems of litter on the beach could be solved if all visitors took away more trash than they brought to the beach.

“If you see a plastic bag in the water, grab it,” Grimes suggested, noting Orange Beach has crews working to keep the beaches, back bays and islands clean. “It’s a constant process,” he said.