Free online volunteer registration available at CleanUpDay.org. All volunteers must register to participate and complete the online litter survey to be counted in the global results.
What: Nearly 6,000 registered volunteers expected to participate in cleanups within their own neighborhoods and in groups at over one hundred litter hotspots for the 37th annual International Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County on Saturday, September 18, 2021. The event is officially produced by I Love A Clean San Diego County and is the largest annual environmental cleanup in the region. Online registration is available at CleanupDay.org. All volunteers must register to participate and complete the online litter survey to be counted in the global results.
Since the event’s inception in 1985, over 269,000 volunteers in San Diego County have removed over 5.4 million pounds of litter and debris from local communities. Despite the effects of the pandemic in 2020, San Diego County stood out. The region’s effort accounted for one percent of international litter totals, nearly six percent of the national totals and 20 percent of California’s results.
Many volunteer participate year after year. This is SDG&E’s 20th year of service at the annual event. Its employee teams have cleared over 110,000 pounds of litter over the past two decades. Team SDG&E will be volunteering across the region at sites like Escondido Creek, Paradise Hills, Del Mar and National City. The media is invited to stop by Paradise Creek Park, located at 1815 Hoover Avenue in National City, where volunteers will remove trash as well as help plant, water and restore the park.
When: Saturday, September 18, 2021 – 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at any point around the county volunteers choose to beautify.
Where: Any location in San Diego County volunteers choose to clean and protect close to home. Or, volunteers can visit CleanUpDay.org to view the litter hotspot map and clean up at one of more than 100 litter hotspots.
Why: No matter where people live in San Diego County, residents all live in one of its 11 watersheds that lead to the coast. About 80 percent of ocean pollution begins inland. By 2050, it is estimated there will be more plastic pollution by weight than fish in the world’s oceans. Litter enters our local watersheds and flows to the Pacific Ocean, ruining soil and water quality along the way. Litter also becomes a harmful threat to the health of both marine wildlife and people. This event serves as a learning opportunity to show how damaging litter and pollution are for our environment and to encourage protection of the region we call home.
Top 10 Items Collected Around the World in 2020
Plastic is the problem: All items listed below are example of single-use plastic.
- 1. Food Wrappers (candy, chips, etc.) 4,771,602
- 2. Cigarette Butts 4,211,962
- 3. Plastic Beverage Bottles 1,885,833
- 4. Plastic Bottle Caps 1,500,523
- 5. Straws, Stirrers 942,992
- 6. Plastic Cups, Plates 754,969
- 7. Plastic Grocery Bags 740,290
- 8. Plastic Take Out/Away Containers 678,312
- 9. Other Plastic Bags 611,100
- 10. Plastic Lids 605,778
Source: OceanConservancy.org
Who: Volunteers of all ages, Scout Troops, corporate teams, community groups, families and others around San Diego County will cleanup to protect outdoor spaces. All participants must register at CleanupDay.org to officially participate and record their cleanup totals in the global results. Collection of data is an essential part of this event.
Active Group Locations:
SDG&E Team Celebrating 20 Years at Coastal Cleanup Day
- o National City – Paradise Creek Park with Paradise Creek Educational Park – 1815 Hoover Avenue, National City, CA 91950; meeting point at the end of Hoover Ave. SDG&E Vice President of Energy Innovation Miguel Romero will be volunteering alongside colleagues at the National City location. He will be available for interviews with both English and Spanish media outlets on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 8:45 – 9:30 a.m.
- o Escondido – Mountain Meadow Preserve, Boulder Outlook with Escondido Creek Conservancy
- o Del Mar – 2 sites with San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
- § Site 1: River Path Del Mar (near Viewpoint Brewing) – 2201 San Dieguito Dr Suite D, Del Mar, CA 92014
- § Site 2: Gonzalez Canyon (off Sword Way) – Google Map Link
- o Paradise Hills – Paradise Garden Native Garden and Paradise Valley Road with Paradise Gardeners
- § Skyline Hills Library (for work along Paradise Valley Road) – 7900 Paradise Valley Rd, San Diego, CA 92139
- § Paradise Native Garden (near Paradise Hill Recreation Center) – 6610 Potomac St, San Diego, CA 92139
About International Coastal Cleanup Day San Diego County….I Love A Clean San Diego has been the official organizer of Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County since it was founded in 1985. The event is a major part of International Coastal Cleanup Day and includes many U.S. states and territories, and over 90 countries. Each year the event attracts nearly one million volunteers globally and about 6,000 throughout San Diego County who prevent ocean pollution from our connected ecosystems. International Coastal Cleanup was founded by the Ocean Conservancy and is coordinated in California by the California Coastal Commission.
About I Love A Clean San Diego County …Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County through youth and adult education, and local action through impactful volunteer events and workshops. As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs are an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action to empower everyone to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living. Our community is passion in action to maintain and improve the health of the home we love. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103
