Earth Day Volunteers Keep Central Coast Clean

Save Our Shores holds 11 cleanups removing 5,166 pounds of trash

SANTA CRUZ — The California Central Coast’s largest Earth Day cleanup effort had one of its most successful turnouts last weekend. 536 volunteers from across Santa Cruz and Monterey County celebrated Earth Day a week early with community action at 11 Save Our Shores cleanup sites.

This year, the 36 year-old Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary based marine conservation nonprofit removed 5,166 pounds of trash, 2,000 more than the group collected in 2015.

Save Our Shores Executive Director, Katherine O’Dea, applauds the Earth Day results. “We are extremely grateful to our Sanctuary Stewards, hundreds of citizen volunteers, and sponsors who made our Earth Day trash removal events such a tremendous success.

It is testament to the strong marine conservation ethic that exists across our community from Davenport to Carmel.”

Save Our Shores removed 2,599 pounds of waste from 6 cleanup locations in Santa Cruz County including: Davenport Main Beach, the San Lorenzo River, Cowell and Main Beach, Sunny Cove, Schwan Lagoon, and the Elkhorn Slough.

2,567 pounds of waste was removed from 5 cleanup locations in Monterey County including: Del Monte City Beach, ALBA Triple M Ranch, Monterey City Beach, Carmel City Beach, and Sand City Beach.

Of all the cleanup sites, ALBA Triple M Ranch received the deepest cleanse. Save Our Shores reports volunteers and dedicated Sanctuary Stewards removing nearly 2,200 pounds from illegal dumpsites hidden around the sustainable agricultural lands. It is important to remove waste from inland sites before the pollution flows to the ocean.

Items ranged from large household appliances and auto parts to small plastic products. By far, the most common item collected was cigarette butts and plastic water-bottle caps.

•••

Save Our Shores would like to thank all of its Earth Day supporting partners and sponsors: The County of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, the City of Santa Cruz, Seaside Walking Action Group, Nordic Naturals, the California Coastal Commission, Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Community Foundation Monterey County, Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), the Carmel Residents Association, Green Waste, LKD of the Student Oceanography Club, and California State Parks.