Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s Watershed Brigade Hits Major Milestone: 50,000 Pounds of Trash Removed from the Environment

Santa Barbara Channelkeeper is thrilled to announce that the Watershed Brigade, its community cleanup program, has successfully removed over 50,000 pounds of trash from the local environment. 

Since the program’s inception in 2020, the Watershed Brigade has empowered 2,067  community members across Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties to take direct action  against pollution by cleaning up trash from beaches, neighborhoods, and waterways. This  significant achievement represents the cumulative effort of volunteers who have dedicated  thousands of hours to protecting the health of local ecosystems. 

The more than 50,000 pounds of trash collected during the group’s 1,803 cleanups include thousands of plastic bottles, cigarette butts, lobster traps, food wrappers, tires,  toys, and other debris that would have otherwise harmed wildlife, contaminated  waterways, and degraded public spaces. 

In the past five years, the Watershed Brigade has become more than a cleanup program. It  has evolved into a growing movement of environmental stewardship. Through a three pronged approach of volunteerism, education, and advocacy, the Watershed Brigade  inspires change. Cleanup events often include educational components and advocacy  briefings, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to make a greater impact. 

“Every cleanup is an opportunity to connect people to their environment,” said program  leader Veronica Moran. “Our volunteers see the impact of pollution up close, and they  come away empowered to make change—not just on cleanup days, but in their daily lives.” 

As the Watershed Brigade sets its sights on the next 50,000 pounds, it invites community  members to get involved and take action against pollution. The next Watershed Brigade  cleanup event will take place on Saturday, July 5th, from 9 am to 11 am, at four locations  along Santa Barbara’s waterfront. Watershed Brigade volunteers will partner with the City  of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront Department to clear these areas of trash resulting from the  July 4th holiday. 

To learn more, find info on upcoming events, or organize a cleanup, visit sbck.org/brigade or follow the @Watershedbrigade on Instagram.