COASTAL CLEANUP DAY
Fourteen sites seeking volunteers
Mendocino County residents and visitors are invited to join the Mendocino Land Trust and partnering organizations for Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 18.
Participants can choose from 14 sites where organizers will equip them with supplies, data cards and directions about how they can help with this statewide effort.
Visit mendocinolandtrust.org for details about each of the Mendocino County sites or visit coastalcleanupday.org to view an interactive map of sites all over California.
After last year’s Coastal Cleanup effort, a student at Pacific Community Charter School had this to say: “It is important not to litter because the garbage gets blown away into the ocean and the sea creatures think it is food. Trash makes the world look messy. I would try to get people to see how they would feel if someone put a bunch of garbage in their yard, because nature is everyone’s yard.” — Cian, second-grader
Cian is correct. Nature is everyone’s yard AND habitat for a variety of wildlife that can be negatively affected by human carelessness. In addition to the important task of removing litter from beaches and rivers, Coastal Cleanup Day also provides an opportunity to collect data on the prevalence of litter and plastics on our coast and in our waterways.
Coastal Cleanup Day is a statewide event organized by the California Coastal Commission. It has been held yearly since 1985. In 1993, California Coastal Cleanup Day was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “largest garbage collection” ever organized, with 50,405 volunteers, according to the Coastal Commission.
The Mendocino Land Trust has been the Mendocino County Coordinator of this important event since 2002. “Coastal Cleanup Day is the perfect reminder, every year, that many hands make light work,” says Megan Smithyman, Mendocino Land Trust board member. “Cleaning up an entire beach on one’s own can
be daunting, but going out there with dozens of people is proof that there are so many people who care about our environment.”
David Duncan of the Mendocino County chapter of the Surfrider Foundation says every year he is struck by the wonderful feeling of community and friendship the beach cleanup provides. David and his wife Diane coordinate a cleanup at Mackerricher State Park, with participants meeting at the end of Ward Avenue.
Elizabeth Cameron of Mendoparks says Coastal Cleanup Day is important because “we all need to be active participants in caring for this beautiful planet we all call HOME.” This year Cameron is hosting a cleanup at Big River Beach on behalf of Mendoparks.
She says, “As the leading nonprofit supporting State Parks in Mendocino County, we have a longstanding relationship with supporting efforts to ensure stewardship of the coast since our establishment in 1984.” She adds, “The Sonoma Mendocino Coast District encompasses more coastline than any other district in the state.”
When asked what else people can do to keep the California coast clean and healthy, Cameron replies, “I like to think in terms of large and small ways to make a difference. Pack a small trash bag to pick up rubbish during your visit to the coast. Get involved in advocacy efforts: Attend your local Board of Supervisors and Water Board meetings, and stay in the loop with California Coastal Commission meetings and issues.”
DIY cleanups in neighborhoods are strongly encouraged, especially for those who want to help but prefer to avoid groups at this time. Trash and litter seen in neighborhoods and city streets has a high likelihood of making it into waterways and oceans if it is not removed. When it rains, trash is washed down storm drains that feed into creeks and rivers. As the water flows to the ocean, it can bring our trash with it. Inland trash removal is key to keeping our coasts and beaches clean and improving the health of all waterways.
Those who do DIY cleanups are encouraged to document their efforts by downloading and using the Cleanswell App or submitting a data card, available at coastalcleanupday.org.
A “complaint” from participants at some beaches is that there is not enough trash to pick up. It is important to remember that even when few items of litter are found, documenting the scarcity of trash is an important and quantifiable measure of the community’s successes in curtailing litter year round.
List of Mendocino County Cleanup Sites for Saturday, September 18, 2021
Unless otherwise noted, no RSVP is needed — just show up the day of the event ready to help! Site captains will be able to provide supplies, but if you can bring a bucket, trash grabber or gloves this helps cut down on the amount of waste generated by the event. Bring a refillable water bottle and a mask in case there are times when social distancing is not possible.
Seaside Beach Cleanup 9 am — 12 pm hosted by Mendocino Land Trust Mackerricher Beach at Ward Avenue 9 am — 12 pm hosted by Surfriders Virgin Creek Beach 9 am — 11 am hosted by North Coast Brewing Company (meet at the brewery at 8:30 am to bike or carpool to the beach!) Glass Beach Cleanup 9am — 12 pm hosted by City of Fort Bragg Noyo Headlands Park 9:30 am — 12 pm hosted by Latino Outdoors North Coast Chapter Noyo River Boating Cleanup 9 am — 12 pm hosted by Liquid Fusion Kayaking (We launch from the ramp at Dolphin Isle Marina at 9am. Please call ahead if you would like to rent a kayak) Hare Creek Beach 9 am — 12 pm hosted by Mendocino Land Trust (RSVPS appreciated by emailing info@mendocinolandtrust.org — we will meet in the college parking lot) Caspar Beach 9 am — 12 pm hosted by Coastal Mendocino Association of Realtors Big River Beach 10 am — 12 pm hosted by Mendoparks Navarro Beach 9 am — 12 pm hosted by the Noyo Center. (Please RSVP by emailing sue@noyocenter.org) Point Arena Cove 9 am — 12 pm hosted by City of Point Arena Cook’s Beach 9 am — 11 am hosted by Redwood Coast Land Conservancy. Please RSVP by emailing rclc@rclc.org Russian River cleanups in the Ukiah Valley 9 am — 1 pm — multiple sites organized by the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District. (Please email deborah.edelman@mcrcd.org for details on how to register) Busy on Saturday? One group has opted to do their cleanup on the following Monday… join them then if you would like.
Van Damme Beach 10 am — 11:30 am on Monday, September
20 hosted by Little River Environmental Action Group
In addition to the 14 sites seeking volunteers, three schools host their own beach cleanups in honor of Coastal Cleanup Day. Fort Bragg Middle School scours Pudding Creek Beach to remove litter big and small. Pacific Community Charter School (based in Point Arena) will take on Moat Creek Beach, the Stornetta Lands and more. Teacher Erin Brazill and Transition Learning Center (TLC) students from Fort Bragg Unified School District will be cleaning up the Westport beaches.
Visit mendocinolandtrust.org for all the details about Coastal Cleanup Day. Use the form to request an email reminder about the event. The Mendocino Land Trust would like to extend big thanks to Mendorecycle for providing a grant to help cover staff time spent coordinating this event and Waste Management’s Fort Bragg office for facilitating dumpster donation.