I am a committed citizen.
With Retrace!, conduct your own field investigation to better understand water pollution and help drive regulatory change.
Start by participating in a cleanup near your home to learn about waste collection and quantification techniques.
Want to take it a step further? Organize your own cleanup along a river or on a beach: Surfrider will provide you with everything you need—equipment, practical guides, and technical support.
RETRACE!
Much more than just beach cleaning
The cleanups organized as part of Retrace! go far beyond simply cleaning up beaches! They are a genuine citizen movement to curb pollution caused by aquatic waste and enable everyone to take that first decisive step toward protecting the ocean.
By joining or organizing a cleanup with Retrace!, you’re not just picking up trash—you ’re becoming an agent of change. Every piece of trash collected and recorded helps expand our scientific understanding of water pollution. This valuable data allows us to directly engage policymakers and industry leaders.
Participating in a waste collection with Retrace! means becoming directly aware of the real impacts of waste pollution in the field. It also means raising awareness among those around you and creating a positive ripple effect in your community.
Whether you’re a one-time volunteer or a long-time supporter, Surfrider Foundation Europe is here to help you organize your cleanups on your own. We provide you with a range of practical tools and educational resources to maximize the impact of your efforts.
The more we mobilize, the louder our voice will be heard. The more on-the-ground data we have, the more we can influence regulations and transform production methods at the source.
What should you do?
I'm participating
Want to take your first step toward stopping water pollution or support an ocean lover who has already organized a cleanup?
Participating in a cleanup with Retrace! requires no prior experience: simply select a cleanup near you and sign up.
Once registered, you will have access to a dedicated chat room where you can communicate with the organizer and other participants, and receive all the latest practical information.
Feel free to invite your friends and family: the more people we have, the greater our impact will be!
I am organizing a cleanup
Want to take it to the next level?
Organizing your own cleanup requires a greater commitment, but it’s also the most effective way to engage your community and amplify your impact on ocean conservation.
To help you organize your cleanup independently, we provide you with all the necessary tools: fundraising materials, comprehensive online training, practical guides, and communication and awareness resources.
You will receive support every step of the way to ensure your event is a success.
Any questions? Check out our FAQ, which answers the most common questions.
How does it work?
By participating in a cleanup you are already taking action for the ocean!
Find a cleanup...
… that suits you and sign up in just a few clicks.
In your personal account, you can view all the cleanups you’re participating in and chat with the organizer and other participants.
Spread the word
Cleanups are also a great opportunity to meet people who share your passion for the ocean—or simply to spend time doing something meaningful with your friends or family, and maximize your impact!
D-Day
Off to the meeting spot: a glove, a bag, and off we go!
See it through to the end
… by helping to count the trash after it’s been collected. Not only will you gain a better understanding of the extent of water pollution, but you’ll also help Surfrider collect valuable data to continue its fight against water pollution. Every piece of trash counted makes a difference!
Ready to organize your cleanup?
Follow the guide!
Create your account
Signing up is quick and easy, and we only ask for the bare essentials. It lets you join a community of dedicated volunteers and gives you access to everything you need to get involved: tracking your collections, chat rooms, exclusive resources, and challenges.
Record your collection...
... in just a few clicks: select the location, enter the number of participants, and indicate where you would like to receive your equipment kit —remember to do this well in advance, as shipping times can be a little long!
Once you've created your fundraiser
Get as many people as possible involved: share the event on social media, tell your friends and family…
The more people there are, the more we’ll collect!
A few days before the cleanup
Log in to your personal account to access the resources available to you: awareness sheets, explanatory videos, and more. Everything you need to make your cleanup a real success is right there.
Don't forget to send a message to registered participants via chat to motivate them!
Finally, don't forget the key step: quantification!
Once you've finished collecting data, enter it directly into your account to update our database.
Every piece of waste you count provides valuable information that helps us better understand and combat pollution.
The organizer's kit
The items listed right here are the essentials for a successful cleanup!
And the good news is that as soon as your cleanup is registered,
the kit is shipped as quickly as possible* so it’ll be ready on the big day.
An educational banner
It will help you raise awareness by providing key data on aquatic waste and examples of simple actions you can take to rethink your use of plastic bottles.
plastic bags
jute bags
Jute bags, which are more durable than plastic bags and can be reused, can also come in handy. We suggest using them to separate certain types of waste (glass, metal, and others). Be sure to collect these bags at the end of the cleanup, rinse them out, and let them dry so you can reuse them.
The nets
The nets allow the organizers of Initiatives Océanes to collect trash from the ocean floor.
If you are collecting samples underwater, please send an email to retrace@surfrider.eu to request that the nets be included in the kit.
Gloves
We are sending you protective gloves for waste collection. Before wrapping up your beach, lake, river, or seabed cleanup, be sure to collect them so you can reuse them.
the organizer's guide
The “Organizer’s Guide” will help you prepare to oversee your cleanup. It contains all the information you need to successfully carry out your collection on a beach, a lake, along a riverbank, or on the seabed, and to learn more about aquatic waste.
To complement this kit, a wide range of practical and educational resources
are also available in the personal account area:
, including posters, an “organizer’s guide”
, and training videos to help you prepare for the collection!