50,000 Californians Join State's Largest Cleanup Event

Thousands of Californians are rolling up their sleeves this Saturday to give their beaches, rivers, and lakes some much-needed love.

Coastal Cleanup Day returns September 19th with more than 50,000 volunteers expected at over 700 sites across all 58 counties. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon and welcomes families, friends, and anyone who wants to make a difference.

More than 60 California state parks are joining forces with the Division of Boating and Waterways and the California Coastal Commission for what's become the state's largest annual volunteer event. Whether you're picking up trash along the coast or beside a nearby lake, every piece of litter removed helps protect California's natural spaces.

The effort tackles a serious problem with tangible results. About 75% of the debris collected during Coastal Cleanup Day is plastic, which can harm wildlife, introduce toxins into the environment, and contaminate the food chain.

Last year's turnout proved just how powerful collective action can be. Nearly 40,000 volunteers removed more than 358,000 pounds of trash from California's beaches and waterways in a single morning.

The cleanup reaches far beyond the coastline too. More than 2,000 volunteers partnered with 44 boating facilities, collecting over 14,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from kayaks, canoes, and dinghies.

The Ripple Effect

Trash doesn't stay where it falls. Litter left miles inland can travel through creeks, rivers, and storm drains before eventually reaching the ocean, making every cleanup site critical to protecting marine life.

Ramona Fernandez, Deputy Director of California State Parks' Division of Boating and Waterways, captures the spirit perfectly. "California's coast and waterways belong to all of us, and Coastal Cleanup Day is a great way to give them a little love."

Getting involved is simple. Volunteers just need to bring reusable gloves, buckets, and refillable water bottles, then check with their local cleanup site for registration details.

Join 50,000 neighbors this Saturday and help keep California beautiful, one piece of trash at a time.