Thousands of volunteers join movement to cleanup trash near California's waterways

38t annual coastal clean up kicks off

Californian's are cleaning up the state's coast, gathering for what organizers say is the largest volunteer effort in the state

OAKLAND, Calif. - Saturday is the 38th annual Coastal Cleanup Day in California. It's a group effort to pick up trash along the state's waterways, with thousands of people participating. 

Volunteers big and small gathered along Oakland's shoreline to participate. Many made the event a family affair by bringing young children to help.

"I feel like it’s one way for them to contribute as small people to helping the earth. Everyone can pick up a piece of trash if they see it," said Jennie Redwitz.

She said the cleanup is a lesson for her two kids, and an expansion of the cleanup they usually do in their own neighborhood.

"We have drains nearby and they go to the bay. So I wanted them to see that the stuff that we pick up normally, where it can end up if we don’t pick it up. And so that they can also clean it here before it gets into the bay," said Redwitz.

Volunteers said the event also serves as a wake up call.

"It’s eye-opening for people to see the trash that ends up on the shoreline and realize that it comes from all of us. We’ve gotta consume less and throw away less and dispose of it properly so it doesn’t end up in the bay," said David Lewis, Executive Director of Save the Bay.

This is the first big Coastal Cleanup Day in years, since there were covid restrictions in place for the last two years. The pandemic has also changed the kind of trash that is being found. 

"One of the really exciting things about this event is that we can track what we’re picking up and really make trends over time. So for example, since covid we’ve been seeing a lot more PPE like masks and gloves and things," said Jessica Sloan, the Volunteer Program Supervisor with East Bay Regional Parks. 

Single-use plastics are the biggest culprit. The hope is that by seeing evidence of that, people will learn that the trash they see on the freeways or in parking lots, will end up in the bay.

"We could be out here every day and never pick up all the trash on the shoreline. Of course it’s great to get the trash out of the environment, but the real value of this is the education that people get. They see the trash coming from all of us," said Lewis.

If you couldn't make it out on Saturday morning, you can still participate in the Coastal Cleanup Day movement by cleaning up your own neighborhood. In the month of September, you can use the CleanSwell app to count the amount of trash you collect and add it to the day's total.