healtheocean
When Heal the Ocean (HTO) received a report of a homeless encampment at Butterfly Beach, we sent Andrew Velikanje of Earthcomb to investigate.
What Andrew found was an abandoned disarray of scattered tents, sleeping bags, debris, and garbage buried in the sand, posing a hazard to barefoot beachgoers.
Andrew removed the debris before the tide could sweep it all away.
HTO Working with County on Clearing out North County Riverbeds
Heal the Ocean (HTO) is working with the County of Santa Barbara (COSB) to clean out the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria Riverbeds. The project has begun with HTO drone and GIS surveys to understand the number of homeless encampments and debris in these locations, and determine how many individuals need housing and help. The County approached HTO for assistance, which is crucial as the rainy season approaches later in the year, bringing risks of flash floods and water releases from Lake Cachuma, all of which can wash trash, camps, and belongings downstream and into the ocean.
On the northwest side of the Santa Maria Riverbed, the COSB, in collaboration with CityNet and Good Samaritan, offered housing to individuals, then cleaned out the abandoned area of trash and offal.
In the Lompoc Santa Ynez Riverbed, HTO aerial surveys have pinpointed a large encampment littered with many shopping carts and substantial amounts of trash. HTO plays a vital role in the cleanup of the Santa Ynez Riverbed, particularly on private land where the County is unable to act.
The County will issue evacuation notices to the Lompoc riverbed inhabitants on August 13, 2024, with housing options provided. HTO has secured a $15,000 grant from the Rose Foundation for cleanup and debris removal, with Earthcomb hired for the task. Earthcomb will remove flammable materials such as gasoline, propane, lighter fluid, batteries, car batteries, and electronics.
What a terrific group! It’s selfless people like this who make this country and this state great. Contrary to abundant ignorance and misinformation, it’s entirely possible to both care for the environment and be empathetic to the plight of the homeless. It’s about having a heart and being a good human being. Sadly, those qualities are in short supply.
Nice work HTO. Someone needs to do it. Otherwise all this garbage, including immense amounts of plastics, winds up in the ocean. This is the downside of allowing the homeless to set up camps wherever they want, as we’ve been doing around here for way too long. Hypocritical to on one hand let this pollution happen and then claim you’re an environmentalist who cares more than anyone about the health of our oceans, local water quality, etc. – which is what we’ve seen.
Good to see the Court put their foot down on this. That was the only reason Newsom followed – pure politican. He’s not stupid, just political. It’ll be funny to watch the Newsom supporters that have always supported the homeless to camp where they want and how they want try and wrap their heads around this. Now what? Still support him, or the homeless here in this situation?
BASIC – “Hypocritical to on one hand let this pollution happen…”
SMH…. No. Not at all in any way true. For one, they’re not “letting this pollution happen,” THEY. ARE. CLEANING. IT. UP….. read the dang blasted article for once.
Secondly, it’s not hypocritical at all to clean up trash and be sympathetic and helpful to the homeless population. Only someone with no sense at all of human compassion or sense of community would think that. Not surprising at all….
Our elected officials are elected to do the will of the people to improve our society. Why are you criticizing Newsom for doing just that? At least he listened and tried other ways first before taking this action, which was the last resort. That’s why we’re not upset with him.
All elected officials are politicians by the way.
Thank you HTO!!!!
The City of Santa Barbara is the worst polluter on the South Coast. For over 40-years, it has not cleaned some of the low lying areas and the foothills. Herbicides, pesticides, car tire scuff, brake lining scuff and other poison is left on the streets and washes into storm drains (not mentioned in the Heal The Ocean statement) and washes finally into the ocean and on our beaches. The stone age street sweeper that that the city uses is an old technology and throws much of this poison into the air where adults and children breath it in. New street cleaning systems use a water spraying vehicle in front of a vacuum truck that sucks up all the wet matter. It is time for the Santa Barbara City Council to stop the poisoning and have all of our streets cleaned using modern means. Maybe they can use the money wasted on consultants.