Frequently Asked Questions

• Virtual Team Registration: Schools, families, companies, localities, individual groups, or communities are encouraged to create a virtual team to help clean up their portion of the Chesapeake Bay's watershed. Team litter cleanups will be conducted separately and their litter pounds will be aggregated in the teams' dashboards. This allows for participants to be united but still remain safe in the midst of the pandemic.
• Individual Registration: Individuals are encouraged to register as a single participant.

• If your family consists of small children that do not have an email address and would not be able to log their own data, register as an individual.
• If your family consists of older kids that have their own email, and want to log their own data, register as a virtual team.

If you have participated in other events with CBF or made donations, you likely already have an account with us. Try resetting your username or password. Do not hesitate to reach out to ctbd@cbf.org for help.

There are a multiple ways to invite people to join your team:

• Send them a link to your Team Page and advise them to select "Join Team".
• Or, go to the Email tab in your Participant Center. From there you can invite members via email. Simply select a template email provided by CBF or draft your own.

Yes, log in to your Participant Center and scroll to the second half of the page. You will notice there are two tabs, a Me tab and a My Team tab. To edit the text on these pages, select "Edit Content" to edit images, select "Update Media." Note: Only team captians can edit the virtual team page.

Yes, a Team Captain can update the Team Name at any time. Simply log into the Participant Center, scroll down to the second half of the page and click the My Team tab. From there select the "Team Name" button and make updates.

There is no minimum or maximum team size.

No, you can only register yourself for either one virtual team or as an individual participant.

No, as long as you are abiding by all current Virginia COVID-19 guidelines and have permission to be on the site, by all means clean away!

Yes, you will need to bring gloves, masks, trash bags, and litter collectors (if you have them) with you to do the clean-up.

Trash will need to be disposed of at a public bin or in your personal disposal.

Please just use your best estimate.

Planting a native plant or installing a rain barrel are additional participation options for people unsure about doing a litter pick-up during COVID-19 but still want to participate in Clean the Bay Day 2021.

Plant a Native Plant

• Our native plant guide provides a list of some native plants suitable for most areas in Virginia.
• View the Virginia Native Plant Society's native plant guides.

Install a Rain Barrel

• View the How to Install a Rain Barrel video.
• Rain Barrels can be homemade or purchased. If you choose to purchase your rain barrel online and want to enter the contest, make sure it will be delivered in time to be installed during the six-day event.

Planting a native plant or installing a rain barrel must be done on your own property or on private property with advance permission. Public spaces should not be used for planting/installation. Registration is still required and data logging will be done the same as the litter cleanup option.

The data reporting link will be available in your Participant Center on May 31st and will be active until June 5th at midnight.

Because your data reporting link is personalized it will only be accessible through your Participant Center.

No, each registered participant will have their own personalized data reporting link which should not be shared.

Not to worry! Just shoot ctbd@cbf.org an email and the Clean the Bay Day team will get the numbers adjusted.

Your virtual team page, individual participant page, and your participant center will have links to customized dashboards that show your team and individual totals. The Clean the Bay Day home page will have a link to an overall dashboard showing totals for all participants.

Absolutely! Even though we are not able to physically be together this year, we still want to see all the amazing work you are doing to help clean the Bay. After submitting your data, you will see a thank you page that will prompt you to share your photos and videos of your Clean the Bay Your Way activity on a variety social media platforms.

Also feel free to share the links to your virtual team and individual participant pages and dashboards on your social media channels. Be sure to use the #CleantheBayDay hashtag when you post on social media.

The Clean the Bay Your Way contest will run during the six days of the event. There two competition categories, one for best photos and one for best videos. Prizes will be awared to the top three photo category winners and the top three video category winners.

See the contest rules for more information.

Prizes include:

• Gift certificate for 25 raw oysters from a Chesapeake Oyster Alliance partner
• Pair of REI Flexlite Camp Chairs
• REI Soft Sided Pack-Away Cooler
• 12-month pass to Virginia State Parks
• North End Bag Co., The Bank Note Bag.
• Taste Unlimited Gift Basket

Entries of photos and videos will be submitted via your data reporting link. Follow the prompts to enter the contest when you submit your data/activity.

You may submit entries of photos and videos each time you submit your data/activity.

Whomever submits the photo or video will get the prize.

Yes! Login to your Participant Center and scroll down until you see the Facebook Fundraiser box and select Connect to Facebook Fundraiser.

Every dollar raised goes directly toward saving the Bay. For more information on CBF and how we will accomplish this goal, please visit Our Mission web page.

We offer a bunch of different ways to Save the Bay! Bay-savers from across the world have supported us by volunteering, becoming a member, attending CBF events, joining our Nellie Semans Society, taking advocacy actions, and more! Visit our website for more information.