Clean Virginia Waterways (CVW), founded in 1995, is a statewide, nonprofit, incorporated organization that is affiliated with Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia and also the Ocean Conservancy (OC) in Washington D.C. CVW is recognized by the OC as the official coordinator of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) in Virginia. Over its 16-year history, CVW has coordinated the annual ICC, and has expanded to offer additional waste management and water-resource educational programs. CVW also conducts workshops for teachers, farmers, businesses and homeowners on water conservation, water monitoring, and protecting water quality. CVW has an extensive, award-winning record of working with businesses, nonprofit organizations, museums, educators, state agencies and communities/citizens on litter prevention, and raising public awareness about water resource issues.

Longwood University generously provides a majority of CVW’s overhead expenses (office space, utilities, discounted printing costs, warehouse storage, web site hosting, student interns, fiscal management), making the operations of CVW very cost-efficient and highly effective. Contributions to CVW are applied directly to program implementation instead of overhead expenses.

Mission
To enhance the health of Virginia’s significant water resources through pollution prevention, education and stewardship activities involving Virginians from the classroom to local communities to the Boardroom.

Programs, Achievements & service to Virginia’s environment
CVW has an award-winning track record of success and service to Virginia’s environment. CVW accomplishes its mission through a variety of outreach programs:
• The International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia
• Water Quality Monitoring
• Litter Prevention and Marine Debris Research
CVW is a leading source of information about sources, impacts and solutions to litter in aquatic ecosystems. CVW has worked extensively with:
Virginia’s Coastal Zone Management Program, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Keep Virginia Beautiful, Keep America Beautiful, United Nations World Health Organization, United Nations Environmental Programme (Regional Seas Programme), Ocean Conservancy, Philip Morris USA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Water and Environmental Education in Virginia
Workshops for teachers