People love facts. Did you know for example Michigan has 11,000 inland lakes and every year, 80,000 pieces of trash are picked up during lake and river clean-ups held in Southeast Michigan? Facts not only spark an interest in something but can motivate people to support local events like SEA LIFE Michigan’s Global Beach Clean event from 10 a.m.

to 12 p.m., Sept.

18 at Joseph Delia Park in Sterling Heights. “We have an immense amount of pride in being part of the beautiful Great Lakes state,” Lauren Grauer, SEA LIFE’s curator said, in a news release. “Our Green Team and partners are committed to keeping our watersheds beautiful through local cleanups, which our staff take a lot of pride in attending!” Throughout the year more than a dozen park and river clean-ups hosted by local organizations like the Clinton River Watershed Council, The Cleanup Crew and the staff at SEA LIFE Aquarium in Auburn Hills, are organized between April and October.

Those who participate in Wednesday’s event will be part of a global effort going on around the world, from New Zealand to Michigan, Bangkok to Britain. Last year, SEA LIFE was able to rally 55 locations including SEA LIFE Aquarium and more than 1,640 people who collected 6,177 pounds of trash for the international event. Participants need only to show up at the park ready to help.

Those who cannot make this event can help the environment in other ways like going for a walk around a local park, lake, pond, or river cleaning up.