Register to Join I Love A Clean San Diego for the 34th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 15
San Diego County CA— On Saturday, September 15th from 9 AM – 12 PM, over 7,000 volunteers will participate at I Love A Clean San Diego’s (ILACSD) 34th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD). ILACSD has coordinated this event locally for the past 33 years and successfully mobilizes thousands of volunteers, while also supporting cleanup efforts in Tijuana. There are 107 cleanup sites around San Diego County where volunteers may participate. Volunteers of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up at a nearby site to help leave a lasting impact on the whole region. The media is invited to join ILACSD staff, event sponsors, and elected officials at the kickoff site at Mission Bay – South Shores Park where volunteers will complete beautification projects in addition to litter removal, including a mural project, stenciling storm drains, and mulching. For more information about sites and volunteer registration, please visit CleanupDay.org.
It is estimated that by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish. Coastal Cleanup Day harnesses the power of people to fight against pollution in our oceans. However, Coastal Cleanup Day covers more than just the shoreline. ILACSD focuses the majority of its cleanup efforts along inland waterways and canyons. When litter is left behind throughout the county, it enters our local watersheds and flows out to the Pacific Ocean, becoming a threat to the health of both marine wildlife and people. Last year alone, CCD volunteers removed 137,299 pounds of trash and recyclables from San Diego and Tijuana regions that otherwise would have polluted the beloved coastline and the Pacific Ocean.
Coastal Cleanup Day is an eye opening experience for most volunteers. After seeing the amount of trash and debris littered throughout our county, volunteers are empowered to make wiser choices in their daily lives to better our environment. ILACSD encourages all volunteers to make sustainability a standard cleanup practice by bringing reusable supplies from home. By choosing to bring a reusable water bottle, work gloves, and/or a bucket to collect litter, each volunteer has the opportunity to significantly reduce the need for single-use bags and disposable gloves. Prizes will be awarded to the best decorated buckets entered into this year’s Bling Your Bucket contest.
Volunteers may also utilize the Clean Swell app to help cut back on waste produced at this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day. Before the cleanup, volunteers are encouraged to download the Clean Swell app to be used in place of paper data cards to track the debris collected at this event. The app is free and available to download for both iOS and Android devices.
Sony Electronics has returned to sponsor this year’s Coastal Cleanup Day Photo Contest where volunteers have the opportunity to win a Sony Point & Shoot Camera. Volunteers are encouraged to submit a photo of their Coastal Cleanup Day experience that best fits the theme, Cleaner Together. Photos for the Bling Your Bucket and Sony Photo Contests may be submitted to iloveacleansd@gmail.com.
ILACSD organizes Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County in partnership with the California Coastal Commission as part of a global international event led by the Ocean Conservancy. Top tier supporters of Coastal Cleanup Day include the County of San Diego, Think Blue San Diego, The Coca-Cola Foundation, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Evans Hotels/The Bahia, and KFMB. Several corporate supporters plan to mobilize employee volunteers and their families at cleanup sites across the county including SDG&E which has accounted for more than 8,000 corporate volunteers over the last 16 years. Please visit CleanUpDay.org for more details.
About I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD)
As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) is an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action, empowering everyone to improve the health and beauty of our local environment. For over sixty years, we’ve brought the best in all of us together for a lasting, positive impact on our region. We are passion in action. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.