Explore Ecology
By Explore Ecology
Saturday, September 23rd is Coastal Cleanup Day, an international day of volunteer action. In Santa Barbara County, thousands of community members of all ages will join together to clean up our beaches and inland areas from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
“Coastal Cleanup Day is an inspiring day of action around the world. You might think that one litter cleanup doesn’t make much of a difference, but when you add up the numbers, Coastal Cleanup has a profound impact! Last year in Santa Barbara County alone, 1,305 volunteers covered 92 miles and picked up8,200 pounds of litter and recyclables. We hope to beat that record this year!” says Jill Cloutier, PR Director for Explore Ecology, the nonprofit that coordinates the event for our region, along with the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management.
Coastal Cleanup Day takes a lot of planning and preparation. Thirty community members donate their time to volunteer as Site Captains, who are in charge of managing cleanups at local sites.
Brian Trautwein, Senior Analyst and Watershed Program Director at the Environmental Defense Center and Site Captain at San Jose Creek, says “Participating as a Site Captain during Coastal Cleanup Day 2022 was an incredible experience. We removed 2,152 pounds of trash, recyclables, toxic batteries, and e-waste and inspired twenty-five volunteers to get involved in their community by becoming stewards of their coastal watersheds. That’s why the Environmental Defense Center leads creek cleanups every CoastalCleanup Day and looks forward to this year’s San Jose Creek Cleanup.”
How can community members volunteer to cleanup up their favorite beach, creek, or park? It’s easy! Visit ExploreEcology/Coastal-Cleanup-Day.org. Everyone who pre-registers will be entered in a drawing to win prizes.
Volunteers are asked to bring their own cleanup materials if possible to reduce waste and decrease the cleanup’s plastic footprint. If volunteers don’t have supplies, there will be plenty available at each site.
“Coastal Cleanup Day is an amazing volunteer opportunity for residents of Santa Barbara County to express our appreciation for the beautiful ocean that makes this area such a wonderful place to live! Coastal Cleanup brings the community together to honor their local beach, park, bluff, or neighborhood and give back to the natural world. We have the power to collectively stop thousands of pounds of trash from entering our waterways and oceans, protecting local marine life and the health of our oceans as a whole. It will also be a super fun day to get outside with friends and possibly win some awesome prizes from local businesses! I can’t wait to host the cleanup at Campus Point on behalf of the UCSB Coastal Fund. See you there!” says Mia Rahman, Coastal Cleanup Day Intern for Explore Ecology.
This year’s roster of cleanup locations includes new locations like Oak Park, More Mesa Beach and Bluffs, and Shoreline Park.
Site Captains will be at the following locations in Santa Barbara County on September 23rd:
- Arroyo Burro Beach
- Butterfly Beach
- Campus Point
- Carpinteria Creeks
- Carpinteria State Beach
- Devereux
- East Beach – 2 locations
- El Capitan
- Ellwood Beach
- Gaviota State Beach
- Goleta Beach
- Hammond’s Beach
- Haskell’s Beach
- Isla Vista Streets
- Jalama Beach
- Jelly Bowl Beach
- Leadbetter Beach
- Lookout Park
- More Mesa
- Oak Park
- Refugio State Beach
- Rincon County Beach (Bates)
- Sandspit Beach, Harbor, and Parking Lot
- San Jose Creek
- Santa Claus Lane
- Shoreline Park
- West Beach
Volunteers will record what they find during their cleanup on Data Sheets available at each site on the morning of the event.
Community members unable to attend the cleanup on the 23rd can still participate in Coastal Cleanup Day by cleaning up any time during the month of September. Their litter data will be included as part of Coastal Cleanup Day if they upload it to Clean Swell under the group name Explore Ecology. Volunteers can install the Clean Swell app on their phones. Visit the Ocean Conservancy website to download the app.
Becoming part of the solution to ocean pollution is easier than ever on CoastalCleanup Day, Saturday, September 23rd, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Get outside, enjoy nature, and have fun participating in the largest cleanup event of the year!
Statewide, Coastal Cleanup Day is presented by the California CoastalCommission. In Santa Barbara County, the event is organized by Explore Ecology and the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management, with support from the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Solvang and the help of many non-profits, businesses, and generous individuals.
About Explore Ecology: Explore Ecology is an environmental education and arts nonprofit that educates over 38,000 children a year, inspiring them to engage with the natural world, think critically, and experience the value of environmental stewardship. Explore Ecology programs include the Art From Scrap Creative Reuse Store and Gallery, Watershed Resource Center, and School Gardens Program. For more information, visit ExploreEcology.org.
