DoD Chesapeake Bay Program

Clean The Bay Day

The 2019 Annual DoD Clean the Bay Day event will be held Friday, 31 May.

2018 Results

To mark Clean the Bay Day’s 30th anniversary, families, military installations, businesses, and residents gathered at sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to pick up trash, litter, and debris. This year, 1,291 military service members and their families joined the community to show their commitment to a cleaner and healthier Bay. Thanks to some great organization by DoD coordinators and zone captains, the number of DoD volunteers increased 13% from last year. Volunteers cleaned 33 miles of shoreline and the number of pounds of trash and debris removed doubled to 28,035 lbs. (or approximately 14 tons)! The usual culprits that made up floatable marine debris were well represented including cigarette butts, plastic bags and bottles, aluminum cans, and pieces of wood. Participants also recorded unusual items found during the cleanup including a STOP sign, a Dora the Explorer stuffed head, a skeleton face ball, a 350-lb. piece of workout equipment, half a fence, and a message in a bottle. Thanks to all our DoD volunteers for stepping up and taking personal responsibility for the Bay’s health and for demonstrating why the DoD is such a valuable partner in Chesapeake Bay restoration!

See you in May 2019 !

You can continue to save the Bay throughout the year by becoming a better Bay steward at home and work.

  • Use natural cleaners--use natural, non-toxic, phosphate-free cleaners for most cleaning tasks. You'll be reducing toxic chemicals in wastewater while saving money.
  • Reduce fertilizer use--always get a soil test first to be sure what your lawn requires; use fertilizer sparingly, and only when necessary. Excessive fertilizers contribute to nitrogen and phosphorous overload in rivers and the Bay, which can lead to low oxygen levels and dead zones.
  • Only rain in storm drains--allow only rain to go down the storm drain and use a broom nota hose or power blower, to clean debris from decks, patios and driveways. You'll save water, reduce emissions, and curb stormwater runoff.
  • Practice Bay friendly car care--take your vehicle to a commercial car wash or wash your car on an unpaved surface with phosphate-free soap so water soaks into the ground, not into the storm drain.
  • Reduce rainwater runoff--direct rainwater away from paved surfaces; direct gutter downspouts onto lawn or flower beds, or into a rain barrel.

To learn more, please visit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Chesapeake Bay Program websites.