Victoria beaches 1,560 pounds lighter after Surfrider cleanup

Victoria beaches shed over 1,500 pounds of junk over the weekend thanks to an Earth Day initiative by a local environmental group.

Surfrider Vancouver Island, a chapter of the non-profit environmental organization Surfrider Foundation that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans, waves and beaches, invited people down to Clover Point on Sunday (April 22) for a beach cleanup and social gathering.

“The cleanup went amazing we had over 200 people come out. More if we are counting kids!” said organizer Chris-Ann Lake, the Surfrider Vancouver Island Chapter Co-Manager and Volunteer Co-ordinator.

The group collected 1,560 pounds of trash during the two hour beach clean.

“It was a great day with 91.3 the Zone there playing music. Whole Foods there providing snacks. City of Victoria there to answer questions about the ban the bag bylaw and Atlas Junk Removal there to take away all that we found,” said Lake.

Among the clean up crew were Victoria city councillors and MP for Victoria Murray Rankin.