Come one! Come all! Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) is nearly upon us, and if you haven’t participated previously, you’ll definitely want to mark this Saturday, September 21 on your calendar!
This family-friendly cleanup is the largest volunteer event in California. By leveraging the power of collective, state-wide participation, CCD aims to bring awareness to human impacts on the marine environment and the cascading effects that litter and pollution have on our aquatic ecosystems. Last year in California alone, 66,535 volunteers removed 839,632 pounds of garbage from our beautiful beaches! This year, we’re looking to beat those numbers but we need your help to get these top 10 polluters off the beach.
Cleanups are held all over San Mateo County: beaches, creeks, waterways, parks, and neighborhoods. Families are encouraged to bring their children, as this family-friendly event is a great opportunity to learn about litter and how to prevent pollution from ending up in our local waterways.
When: All Coastal Cleanup Day events are on Saturday, September 21st from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).
Where: Over 40 sites throughout San Mateo County!
How to Volunteer: Volunteers should pre-register by selecting a site and RSVPing directly with the site captain. You can use this link to find a volunteer location and your captain’s contact information. You can also register on the day of the cleanup. If you are a large group, please contact the site captain first.
Prepare for the event:
- Waiver Forms – Every participant is required to sign a waiver form. Waivers will be provided at your site by the site captain the day of the event, but to make your check-in faster, you may print, sign and bring the following waiver with you. All volunteers under the age of 18 must have the waiver form signed by a parent or legal guardian before participating in a cleanup. English and Spanish waivers.
- Bring/Wear – If you can, consider carpooling, biking, or taking public transit to your location and bring your own buckets, gloves, and reusable water bottle to help reduce our overall footprint during the event! Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes and bring sunscreen and/or a hat.
- Day Of – Check-in at your site location’s sign-in table to receive direction from a site captain. Listen to the safety orientation, have fun and be safe!
San Mateo County’s Coastal Cleanup Day is organized in conjunction with the California Coastal Commission, the Ocean Conservancy, and many statewide and local partners.
For more information, visit San Mateo County Health.
