Citizen science is leading the way to cleaner national parks.

5 Gyres Institute

On April 22, we’ll all celebrateEarth Day.

There’s no better way to honor this beautiful planet than by doing our part to keep it clean.

A “No Plastic” sign

A “No Plastic” sign being help up in a National Park.Credit:5 Gyres Institute

And the 5 Gyres Institute is kicking off its fourth annual Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz project to do just that.

Of course, it doesn’t just leave it there.

For three years, TrashBlitz has served as a valuable tool in tracking waste trends across national parks.

Cleaning in a National Park

According to the group, it made up 75 percent of all waste recorded.

And this work is all the more important with the drastic cuts to national park funding.

The TrashBlitz data from previous years underscores the urgent need to address plastic pollution in our national parks.

Volunteers cleaning a National Park

See more about how to sign up at5gyres.org/PlasticFreeParks.

Picking up trash

Cleaning in a National Park

Volunteers cleaning a National Park

Picking up trash