Cleaner Beaches Start with Us—Join Our Projects Today!
Keep It Beachy Clean in Virginia Beach, VA, is dedicated to protecting and preserving our beaches through a variety of projects focused on reducing waste and engaging the community. Explore the initiatives driving positive change and learn how we’re working together to keep our shoreline clean and healthy.
Beach Toy Recycling Program
When you’re a kid, a day on the beach just isn’t complete without beach toys! Unfortunately, many beach toys are accidentally forgotten at the end of the day or may be accidentally washed out to sea during a rising tide.
Also, many beach toys are used during a temporary stay, then thrown away at the end of vacation. But we have a solution to reduce this type of pollution—beach toy recycling!
So, leave a toy, or take a toy (or two!), when you spend a day at the beach.
Leave a Toy, Take a Toy!
Whether you want just a few toys to enjoy during your stay or like to try out different ones throughout the day, feel free to take some and return or swap them as you go—there’s plenty to explore and enjoy!
Big Thanks to Our 2025 Beach Toy Recycling Program Sponsors!
Keep It Beachy Clean wants to express our sincerest gratitude to our partners who have helped us implement the Beach Toy Recycling Program:
- Lynnhaven River NOW
- Tidewater Master Naturalists
- Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service
- Virginia Beach Ambassadors Program
We also want to thank Cooke Elementary School and Seatack Elementary School for their beautiful artwork on the Beach Toy Recycling Boxes.
We would like to acknowledge the support of the following businesses and organizations:
- Virginia Beach Resort Advisory Commission
- Virginia Beach Oceanfront Enhancement Committee
- Best Value Hardware
- City of Virginia Beach
If you are interested in adding a Beach Toy Recycling Box in your beach, bay, river, or lake community, please contact us for more information.
If you are interested in sponsoring a Beach Toy Recycling Box, please contact Emily at Emily@CleanVirginiaWaterways.org.
Keep It Beachy Clean Kids' Activity Sheets
Keep It Beachy Clean strives to educate all beach visitors about keeping our beaches, bay, and ocean clean and safe for all to enjoy. We know that children are very passionate about caring for the environment and wildlife, so we have created a variety of activity sheets that can be completed by kids of all ages.
These activity sheets make great placemats at restaurants or can be left in hotel rooms and short-term rentals for downtime with the children. They’ll learn about litter prevention, recycling, our local wildlife, sustainability, and more.
Answers to the activities can be found at the bottom of this section.
- Dispose of cigarette butts and all trash properly
- Check for trash before you leave the beach
- Recycle paper, cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles
- Use reusable shopping bags, straws, and drink bottles
- Skip the Straw when you go out to eat
- Don’t feed the birds
- Clean up after your pet
There’s a sea turtle out there who’s better off now. Thanks for not littering!
Call for Activity Sheets Sponsors
Keep It Beachy Clean is looking for sponsors who can support our program. We also invite hotels, restaurants, and other businesses that can help us distribute these activity sheets to young locals and tourists.
If you are interested in sponsoring or distributing our activity sheets, feel free to contact us.
Keep It Beachy Clean and Skip Single-Use Plastic Straws!
Why?
Single-use plastic straws are often found as litter on our beaches, parks, streets—everywhere! They’re included in the Top 10 list of littered items found during our annual International Coastal Cleanup. Sadly, plastic straws can take hundreds of years to degrade, breaking down into microplastics as they disintegrate in the environment, which are often mistaken for food by small marine animals.
What can you do to help?
Remember to bring a reusable straw with you everywhere—to restaurants, parties, and even use one at home. Bring extras for your family and friends when possible. When you go out to a restaurant, kindly let the server know that you don’t need a straw.
If you visit a restaurant serving straws only on request, let them know you appreciate it, and please let us know about it.
How can my business help?
If you own or manage a restaurant and would like to implement a Straws-on-Request policy, Keep It Beachy Clean can help! We can provide you with table tents and menu cards to help inform your customers and let them know that if they need a straw, they just have to ask their server.
Fill out the form using the link below, and we’ll help supply you with resources to cut down on single-use straws at your restaurant.
We’d Love to See You at Our Events!
Be part of the movement to protect and restore our coastal environment. Visit our Events page to learn about our upcoming cleanups and other community events.