Thousands of Volunteers to Make Orange County Beaches Sparkle with World’s Largest Trash Cleanup
• Coastkeeper announces massive cleanup on September 16 to tackle coastal pollution across Orange County
• Volunteers invited to celebrate with Coastal Cleanup Day after-party
On September 16, thousands of Orange County residents will head to sites across the county to play their part in the world’s largest trash cleanup for Coastal Cleanup Day. Registration is now open for all 51 cleanup sites in Orange County, organized by Orange County Coastkeeper and Trails4All.
Orange County beaches and waterways collect trash that travels from inland communities via the county’s rivers and storm drains. Beach cleanups stand as a last line of defense to prevent this debris from polluting the ocean and its wildlife. Orange County’s cleanup sites are included as part of California Coastal Cleanup Day, which encourages volunteers to leave the Golden State’s beaches sparkling. This statewide event is part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, the largest volunteer event on the planet.
Last year, more than 7,200 Orange County volunteers collected more than 56,600 pounds of trash and recyclable materials during the three-hour event. Some of the most obscure findings included Keurig machines, soda cans from the 1980’s and a Bosu balance ball.
“So many people don’t understand the impact of coastal pollution until they see it up close,” says Lauren Smith, Orange County Coastkeeper’s volunteer coordinator. “At Coastal Cleanup Day, people learn that small actions like removing trash from the sand can have a huge ripple effect.”
Coastkeeper, the Huntington and Bolsa Chica State Beach Interpretive Offices and local partners will be hosting a Trash Free OC Jamboree at three cleanup locations after the event. The events will feature educational games and activities, sponsor booths and prizes and a celebration to all of our dedicated volunteers. These events will occur at Huntington State Beach and the Back Bay Science Center. The third location will be announced soon on Coastkeeper’s website.
Attendance is free and supplies will be provided. However, Coastkeeper aspires to accomplish a low-waste event and asks that volunteers bring their own cleanup supplies including a bucket or reusable bag, gloves and reusable water bottle. In addition to volunteering, residents and businesses can support Coastal Cleanup Day with donations and sponsorships.
This event is made possible by Partner Sponsors: King’s Seafood, PADI, Earth Friendly Products, Wise Fool-Earth Friendly Fashion. Supporting Sponsors: City of Dana Point, and In-Kind Sponsors; KIND Snacks, Whole Foods Market, Coastal Playground, REI, The Municipal Water District of Orange County and Davey’s Locker.
To register for Coastal Cleanup Day and find the site closest to you, visit www.coastkeeper.org/ccd. For more information, contact Lauren Smith at lauren@coastkeeper.org.
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ORANGE COUNTY COASTKEEPER: Orange County Coastkeeper is a member of the International Waterkeeper Alliance, which has 236 different independent programs across 29 countries. Founded in 1999, the mission of Coastkeeper is to protect and promote sustainable water resources that are swimmable, drinkable, and fishable. Coastkeeper is a nonprofit clean water organization that serves as a proactive steward of our fresh- and saltwater ecosystems. We work collaboratively with diverse groups in the public and private sectors to achieve healthy, accessible, and sustainable water resources for the region. We implement innovative, effective programs in education, advocacy, restoration, research, enforcement, and conservation. For more information, visit www.coastkeeper.org or call 714-850-1965.
