Taking out the trash
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The islands sparkle a little brighter, thanks to the 100 volunteers who joined the Great Island Clean Up April 18. These islanders removed over 1,000 pounds of trash from the county’s beaches and roadways.
The event, coordinated by the San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship’s Solid Waste Program in partnership with 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 many local volunteers, businesses, and service groups. Funding support is provided by the Washington Department of Ecology’s Community Litter Cleanup Program, began at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at the San Juan Brewery, volunteers gathered, picked up trash pickers, gloves, bags and provided a location.
Friends of the San Juans hosted a “Nurdle Hunt” at Jackson Beach. Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets that are a raw material used to make items like water bottles and grocery bags. At least 30 families turned out to participate, and some joined a pledge to continue hunting nurdles on a weekly/monthly basis.
After a long day bagging trash, community members returned to the Brewry in the afternoon to dispose of the garbage, take a gander at the High School’s Eco Club clothing swap, and enjoy the afterparty. Long-time islander, Shann Weston, was awarded the lifetime Finney, Tom Pence was awarded the Individual Finney and Nolan Wall was awarded the Youth Finney.
“Shann, always a champion of the Salish Sea, has inspired countless curious minds to fall madly in love with this place over and over again, and then to turn that love into action,” said Kari Koski, Derelict Vessel Coordinator and a longtime friend of Weston’s. Koski continued, giving highlights of Weston’s achievements, including working with Ken Balcomb and Michael Bigg in 1976 on early orca surveys, and serving a short stint as a firefighter and was one of the first women wilderness rangers in the Cascades.
Communications Coordinator for the San Juan Islands Conservation District, Julie Curtis, introduced Wall.
“Nolan has shown an unmatched level of dedication to the Youth Conservation Corp,” she said, “But what stands out even more is how he shows up when he is out [in the field]… You represent the very best of the Youth Conservation Corps program, and the future of stewardship in our community,” Curtis said.
Pence has spent countless hours over the years on Garry Oak restoration. He has also served on many boards and committees focused on conservation and land management, Katie Fleming, Solid Waste Program Coordinator, told the crowd as she introduced Pence.
Pence accepted the award, telling participants, “You are never too old to volunteer.”
