Tue, September 14, 2004

Help clean the coast on Saturday


By on Tue, September 14, 2004

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The 20th anniversary Coastal Clean Up Day is this Saturday, September 18 from 9am to 12 noon. Join us and a lot of other volunteers on your favorite coastside beach for Coastal Cleanup Day, which is being coordinated in San Mateo County by Save Our Shores.

Each year, more than 40,000 volunteers turn out to over 400 cleanup sites statewide. Since the program started in 1985, over 552,000 Californians have removed almost 8.5 million pounds of debris from our state’s shorelines and coast.

Click on the "read more" link for information from Save Our Shores on how to participate.

Clean Up captains will meet volunteers on beach and creek sites.  Please contact them directly to inquire about specific meeting spots.

What to bring

Wear closed toe shoes, layered clothing, hat and sunscreen to protect you from the sun.  We encourage all participants to bring their own work gloves. Clean Up Captains provide all other supplies (bags, data collection cards, etc.)

Sign a waiver

All volunteers must sign a waiver to participate in Coastal Clean Up Day. Parents and/or guardians must be on hand to sign for participants under 18 years of age.  Some creek sites may have an age requirement; please check with the specific site captain.  You can greatly assist your Site Captains by downloading the waiver [pdf] and completing it in advance and bringing it with you on Saturday September 18. 

Safety

Your safety is the first priority during any cleanup. Even the cleanest-looking beach or creek can hide dangers under the sand, or in the vegetation.  If you discover something of concern, use common sense:  If in doubt, don’t touch!

1. Do not go near any large drums, or fire pits which may still have hot embers burning underneath the top ash.

2. On the beach sites, never turn your back to the ocean and stay away from the tide line.  Under currents and riptides are found in many places along the San Mateo county coast.

3. Stay off of fragile dune and be cautious in creek habitat areas. These are ecologically fragile and sensitive habitats where several endangered species make their home. Take instruction from your Creek Captain if you are joining a creek clean up effort.

4. Don’t lift anything too heavy; when in doubt, please don’t try!

5. Don’t touch or pick up dead animals, or attempt to move injured animals. Make your cleanup captains aware of the animals and where they are.  If you discover a distressed or injured marine mammal, call The Marine Mammal Center at (415) 289.SEAL.  If an injured bird is discovered, call the Peninsula Humane Society’s Wildlife Department at (650) 340-8200.

6. Don’t pick up syringes, needles, broken glass or any sharp objects. Mark the area and notify the cleanup captain or local official of their location.

7. Always stay in teams of two or more.

8. Avoid over-exertion, sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. When in doubt, come in early.

9. Children should always be supervised by an adult.

San Mateo County coastside locations:

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