Coastal Cleanup Day, Time to Pick Up Your Community

By Scott Hayes | scott@southbayevents.com | www.southbayevents.com
Published Thursday, September 12, 2018 at 3:12 p.m.

Coastal Cleanup Day is the premiere marine-related volunteer event in California. Each year, thousands of volunteers
turn out to California’s beaches, lakes, and waterways to help remove hundreds of thousands of pounds of accumulated debris. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.

Heal the Bay organizes Coastal Cleanup Day throughout the South Bay and Los Angeles County in partnership with the California Coastal Commission this Saturday. It’s part of a global effort where tens of thousands of pick-up artists link up for one morning to remove harmful and unsightly trash and debris from over 60 beach, river, inland and water locations.

Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “largest garbage collection” ever organized, the annual Coastal Cleanup Day provides Southern California & South Bay residents with the chance to beautify their neighborhood, local waters, or beach.

The Coastal Commission has been keeping track of the top ten most collected trash items since 1988, cigarette butts, food wrappers, bottle caps & lids are at the top of the list.

In 2017 over 66,000 Californians participated in Coastal Cleanup Day and collected over one million pieces of trash according to the Ocean Conservancy.

Below is a digital map detailing all the South Bay & LA County Coastal Cleanup locations. All volunteers must have a signed waiver. Volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian’s signature as well. If you are not able to bring a signed waiver, site captains will have them available at each site. Try to bring your own bucket and re-usable bag too. Learn more at www.coastal.ca.gov/.

 

(Above image features iconic locations where cleanups are hosted, illustrated by Semira Chadorchi and courtesy of Heal the Bay.)