Hundreds of people turned out for beach cleanups on Saturday and Sunday in celebration of Earth Day.
Beach cleanups were scheduled all along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean coastline during Saturday’s Washington CoastSavers’ Washington Coast Cleanup.
In partnership with CoastSavers, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center conducted its annual Earth Day beach cleanup Saturday. Volunteers cleaned debris from beaches at Fort Worden, downtown Port Townsend, Indian Island County Park and Shine Tidelands State Park.
Beach cleaners also collected data on their findings to the Ocean Conservancy’s international database.
The Friends of Fort Flagler hosted a park cleanup on Saturday and a beach cleanup on Sunday.
Speakers highlighted at an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday at City Pier included Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias, who talked about climate change, and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chairman W. Ron Allen, who spoke on critically endangered salmon and orcas.
Locally owned electric vehicles were presented and a lecture about such cars was given by Olympic Climate Action’s Tony Billera in the Fiero Marine Center.
The day before — on the actual Earth Day of 2022 — the North Olympic Land Trust awarded its Out Standing in the Field award to local photographer John Gussman at its 14th annual Conservation Breakfast.
The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) offered several activities in honor of Earth Day, with some continuing this month. See nols.com.