SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. Sept. 17, 2025 – “I can’t think of a more rewarding way to spend a Saturday afternoon,” said Katie Johnson, San Juan County Marine Project Coordinator. She’s referring to the Great Islands Clean-Up (GICU); an organized event for anyone who wants to make a difference in the community, with a beach or roadside clean.
This fall, GICU will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will meet, choose a site, head out with provided gloves, bags, and pickers, and then return to the meeting point to see how much trash they removed. To find your island's meeting location, visit plasticfreesalishsea.org/events.
“This is the 14th year we’ve been doing the Great Islands Clean-Up,” said Katie Fleming, the County’s Solid Waste Program Coordinator. “The more people who come together, the bigger the impact we can make in just a few hours. Please, come join us!”
In the Spring, volunteers removed nearly 3,000 pounds of litter from the islands.
The theme for this event is “Fall Back Together.” As we prepare for fall and settle in for the season, let’s not forget that our islands need some love and attention after a busy summer.
This effort happens every fall and spring and is led by the County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship Solid Waste Program, and powered by partnerships with The Exchange/Orcas Recycling Services, Lautenbach Recycling, Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District, San Juan Sanitation, Friends of the San Juans, the Stewardship Network of the San Juans, and numerous individual, business, and service group volunteers. The event is made possible through funding from the WA Department of Ecology’s Community Litter Cleanup Program.
Contact: Katie Fleming, Solid Waste Program Coordinator, katief@sanjuancountywa.gov, 360-762-5821
About San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship
San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship is responsible for solid waste, marine resources, clean water, cultural resources, and climate and sustainability work. The department offices are located at 1609 Beaverton Valley Road, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Department of Environmental Stewardship, visit: https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/839/Environmental-Stewardship