Edhat Staff
Source: Explore Ecology
Coastal Cleanup Day on September 16, 2017 was a huge success. This year saw more volunteers who picked up more trash and recyclables than last year. Over 1,090 volunteers at 28 sites from Rincon Beach Park to Guadalupe Dunes did their part to clean up beaches, creeks, and parks.
Over 4,635 pounds of trash and 1,433 pounds of recyclables were collected and prevented from entering our ocean and waterways. A total of 6,069 pounds of waste was removed and 82.75 miles were cleaned.
While the positive impact to our local coastline is tremendous, it’s even more impressive when you consider that our local Coastal Cleanup Day is part of a much larger statewide and international event. Beginning in 1984, with one concerned resident organizing the first coastal cleanup on the Oregon Coast, followed in 1985 by the first California event, Coastal Cleanup Day has since grown to become the largest single-day volunteer effort in the world. Now, every year on the third Saturday in September, people across the globe join together to take part in International Coastal Cleanup Day.
LeAnn Ashton, Girl Scout Troop Leader #50914, was the Beach Captain at Butterfly Beach. LeAnn says, “Our goal as a troop was to get the word out and get other girl scouts and people in the community involved with Coastal Cleanup Day. We did just that! Over 60 people stepped up and took time out of their busy Saturday to pick up 160 pounds of trash off Butterfly Beach. It was a sight to see.”
Le Ann says, “This was our second year hosting a cleanup for Explore Ecology… One of the most rewarding parts of the day was hearing all the “thank you’s” from people just walking by who didn’t even know a cleanup was going on. One elder lady in particular came up to us and said she was a girl scout growing up and was very proud that we have girls in the community who step up at such a young age and make a difference. At that point, I was one proud troop leader.”
Members from the popular reggae band Iration joined the cleanup at Goleta Beach where they picked up marine debris with their fans and other cleanup volunteers.
This tremendous cleanup effort would not be possible without the hard work and services provided by local businesses, organizations, and community members who act as site captains and by the many community members who volunteer their time and labor. Their efforts not only help improve the health of the ocean and its wildlife, but the data collected provides important information regarding the types, quantity, and location of marine debris. This data is analyzed by the Ocean Conservancy and distributed to governments and organizations throughout the world in the hope that it will help preserve our oceans, rivers, and lakes.
Next year’s Coastal Cleanup Day is scheduled for Saturday, September 15th, 2018. Stay tuned for details on Explore Ecology’s website.
For volunteers who don’t want to wait until next year to participate in a beach cleanup, Explore Ecology sponsors a Monthly Beach Cleanup, on the 2nd Sunday of the month from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, at Arroyo Burro Beach.
In Santa Barbara County, Coastal Cleanup Day is brought to the community by Explore Ecology, with the support of the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management and the Cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta.
About Explore Ecology: Explore Ecology is an environmental education and arts nonprofit that works with over 30,000 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.
