Coastal Cleanup Month

Back onshore, you can do your part to safeguard our local waterways for those animals that are still roaming free by participating in the pandemic version of Explore Ecology’s annual Coastal Cleanup. This year, instead of gathering together at beaches and sites throughout the county on a single day, the cleanups will officially take place every Saturday in September when community members are encouraged to help stop potential marine debris from traveling through storm drains into our creeks and ocean by picking up trash in our own neighborhoods and local natural areas.

In keeping with regulations due to COVID-19, your cleanups should be self-guided and close to home at such locations as local parks, shores, creeks, streets, drainage areas, sidewalks, natural areas, and trails. Make sure to practice physical distancing with those not in your household or bubble, and strictly follow both local ordinances and the set of guidelines provided on the California Coastal Commission website (https://coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/Guidance.pdf).

Although our cleanup model is different this year, individual effort will still make a huge difference for the coast, including compiling data on litter and debris. And of course if Saturdays aren’t convenient, feel free to schedule your cleanup on any day and time that is. Volunteers are invited to stay connected with others across the county through Instagram (www.instagram.com/exploreecology) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/SBCoast), including uploading photos and videos, and sharing on social media with the hashtags #protectyourhappyplace and #coastalcleanup. Visit SBCreekWeek.com for a full schedule of activities.