California Coastal Cleanup Day 2019
The 35th annual California Coastal Cleanup Day was a wonderful success and volunteers in Sonoma County contributed mightily to the effort of removing harmful trash from our coastlines and inland waterways, to the benefit of our environment and wildlife that calls it home.
On Saturday, September 21st, supported with clear skies and calm wind, nearly 700 volunteers collected 1,665 pounds of trash including over 130 pounds of recyclables from our Sonoma County coastline in the span of 3 hours. The waste came in all sizes and our volunteers were meticulous in doing their best to ensure our beaches were free from debris for both humans and animals alike.
Our inland waterway partners were making big moves as well! Among them, Clean River Alliance and Russian Riverkeepers amassed a volunteer force of more than 450 people to remove nearly 31,900 pounds of material along 100 miles of the Russian River stretching from Ukiah down to Monte Rio! This included 1,460 pounds of metal diverted from the landfill, 110 car tires, and approximately 800 pounds of recyclable e-waste, aluminum, and plastic. 31,900 pounds! That’s at least the combined weight of seven pickup trucks polluting our waterways and taking a toll on our land and wildlife.
In just one half-day, over 19 tons of waste was removed from our coastline and inland waterways. Imagine how much cleaner and safer these spaces would be if cleanups were a quarterly or monthly effort and not just yearly! It would make us all extremely happy if next year we collected less waste on our shores, so we ask everyone to please do their part to be conscious of what they throw out and where. Be aware that when you throw something away, that’s not the end of the story. Stewardship of the environment is all of our responsibility.
Our volunteers provided an amazing service to the community and we want to extend our sincerest appreciation for their effort. We can’t wait to see you all again next year!
Learn more about the incredible 35 year history of Coastal Cleanup Day with this amazing CLEANUP STORY MAP
Maps and More
View detailed Maps of the California Coastal Trail, a network of public trails for walkers, bikers, equestrians, wheelchair riders and others along the 1200-mile California coastline.
Coastal Podcasts
Learn more about the history of the California Coast through stories and a recent interview with the late Peter Douglas with our Stories of the Coast Podcasts.
Coastal Trail Videos
Watch videos on various segments of the the California Coastal Trail produced by KCET with support provided by the California Coastal Commission
Imagine a ribbon of protection...
stretching along the coastline from Oregon to Mexico, that is the California Coastal Trail. The coastal trail would not exist without the support of individuals like you, who care about coastal preservation and access.