Santa Barbara, CA: Over 955 volunteers cleaned 73 miles and removed more than 5,041 pounds of litter on Saturday, September 19, according to preliminary Santa Barbara County Coastal Cleanup Day data compiled by Explore Ecology.
Results were reported from 37 of the county’s 40 cleanup sites.
The top three items found during this year’s cleanup were:
- Cigarette butts
- Food wrappers
- Plastic pieces
The Painted Cave site had the most trash collected, with 1,500 pounds of trash and recyclables removed.
Veronica Lee, Coastal Cleanup Day Coordinator for Explore Ecology, said: “Thank you so much to the Site Captains who led the sites, and to the volunteers who put in the work of picking up the trash! We are so impressed by how our community came together to protect the ocean and our local watersheds today.”
In addition to everyday litter and plastic debris, volunteers uncovered several unusual items, including a machete, an American Airlines crew pin, a rocking chair, a plastic finger, a Labubu, a plastic Jesus figurine, 80 pounds of copper wire, a tiny plastic skull, a $10 bill, and a bow tie.
Explore Ecology is grateful to every volunteer who participated, with special thanks to the dedicated Site Captains, including local youth leaders, who made today’s event run seamlessly across all sites.
Media Assets: High-resolution event photos and b-roll are available upon request.
Statewide Totals: Full local and statewide totals will be released in the coming days by Explore Ecology and the California Coastal Commission.
In Santa Barbara County, Coastal Cleanup Day is organized by Explore Ecology and the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division, with support from the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Solvang.
About Explore Ecology: Explore Ecology empowers our community to protect and preserve the planet with innovative education and nature-based learning. Explore Ecology programs include Environmental Education, Art From Scrap, and the School Gardens Program. For more information, visit ExploreEcology.org.
