- This event has passed.
Coastal Cleanup Month
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Coastal Clean-Up Day has been changed for 2020. This year, instead of gathering together at beaches and sites throughout the county on a single day, cleanups will happen every Saturday in September from home. We can stop potential marine debris from traveling through storm drains into our creeks and ocean. Let’s protect our favorite beaches by picking up trash in our neighborhoods and local natural areas.
Community members are encouraged to clean up their neighborhood every Saturday from 9 to Noon on September 5, 12, 19, and 26.
Your cleanups should be self-guided and close to home. Local parks, shores, creeks, streets, drainage areas, sidewalks, natural areas, and trails are great choices. Practice physical distancing and strictly follow both local ordinances and the set of guidelines provided on the California Coastal Commission website to make this a safe cleanup for you and your community. Read the guidelines here.
Although our cleanup model is different this year, your effort will still make a huge difference for the coast. We need your help to collect data on all litter you find. Click on our Submit Data tab for reporting options.
Get outside, enjoy nature, and remove marine debris from your neighborhood. Throughout the month, stay connected with volunteers across the County by visiting our Instagram and FacebookPages. Upload your photos, videos, and share what you find on social media with the hashtags #protectyourhappyplace and #coastalcleanupmonth. Although we can’t meet in person this year, we can stay connected virtually.
Volunteers of all ages can participate. Pre-registration is not required, but is encouraged. To register, click here.
This year bring your own gloves, buckets, and other reusable cleanup supplies to lessen the plastic footprint of this event.
In Santa Barbara County, Coastal Cleanup Day is brought to you by Explore Ecology and our partner the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management, with support from the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Solvang. The California Coastal Commission organizes the statewide event and the international event is organized by the Ocean Conservancy.
Special Thanks to our partner the County of Santa Barbara’s Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division.
Josh was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where his passion and curiosity for the environment began and has continued to grow. During his undergraduate studies, Josh pursued this interest at the University of California at Santa Cruz, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies.
Melissa Dodos developed her passion for creative reuse as a mother of four and elementary educator over the past 25 years. She loves to inspire creativity by connecting people with resources and ideas.
Veronica grew up in San Diego and spent four years in San Luis Obispo studying Animal Science at Cal Poly. As an undergrad she learned lots about livestock, agriculture, and wildlife.
Stephanie began her journey as an educator over twenty years ago working as a preschool teacher in Washington state for a cooperative preschool program affiliated with Whatcom Community College. She loved observing the wonder and curiosity of the children and bringing them out into nature to explore the natural world. She continued her love for learning and got her teaching license and then her Montessori certification and worked as an elementary teacher in Tribal, Public, and Montessori schools. She collaborated to create a school garden and her students loved it so much that it became a special place where they could garden, read, explore, play, and it provided a safe sanctuary for students to calm down and reset when they were having difficult moments.
Morgan’s mermaid soul is always seeking adventure—swimming a relay across the Santa Barbara Channel and taking the first photo of a newborn orca off Anacapa Island being standout experiences close to home.
Lindsay Johnson
