Volunteers get ready to clean Santa Monica beach during Coastal Cleanup Day. Photo: Nick Fash/Heal the Bay

Volunteers found plenty of trash in the L.A. River at Elysian Park. Photo: Frankie Orrala/Heal the Bay

Pacific American Volunteer Association (PAVA) volunteers tally bags of trash collected at Dockweiler Beach. Photo: Steve Gofman/Heal the Bay

A volunteer examines a pile of trash before removing it from the L.A. River. Photo: Frankie Orrala/Heal the Bay

Family and friends enjoying Coastal Cleanup Day at Zuma Beach. Photo: Sebastian Vignieri/Heal the Bay

Saturday, September 16th, 2006 marked the 17th anniversary of Heal the Bay as the Los Angeles County coordinator of Coastal Cleanup Day. In just three hours, more than 9,500 volunteers picked up more than 66,000 pounds of trash and 3,000 pounds of recyclables from 66 sites at area beaches, rivers, and creeks.

People from all walks of life and from every corner of L.A. County pulled together to rid our local waterways of unsightly trash and renew their commitment to a clean and healthy ocean. With an estimated 500,000 participants in 88 countries, Coastal Cleanup Day continues its reign as the largest volunteer day on the planet!

Heal the Bay would like to thank the many volunteers who make Coastal Cleanup Day successful year after year for proving that one person can make a difference!

We would also like to extend a special thanks to the cities, agencies, businesses, and radio and TV stations that sponsored this event by generously donating funds, time, and in-kind services. (see the Coordinators & Sponsors sidebar on the right). Their contributions helped make the day a huge success.

More Coastal Cleanup Day News...

Coastal Cleanup Day Television Special
Thanks to Stephanie Rodriguez, director of public affairs for KCAL9/KCBS2 and a Heal the Bay board member, “Heal the Bay: H2O Heroes” aired on Sunday, September 10th, at 6:30pm on CBS2 and on Sunday, September 17th, at 4pm on KCAL 9. It starred none other than our board and staff members: actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus; actor Amy Smart; Executive Director Mark Gold; and Staff Scientist Sarah Abramson. This half-hour television special educated students on the watershed environment, urban runoff, sewage pollution, household hazardous waste, and how they can make a difference in their communities.

Coastal Cleanup Education Day
On Friday, September 15th, Heal the Bay held the second annual Coastal Cleanup Education Day at the Santa Monica Pier. Ten buses, paid for by the city of Santa Monica, transported more than 600 students from underserved and inland communities (Title 1 schools), for a day of fun and learning. The theme for the day was our connection to and dependence on the ocean. The students participated in beach exploration to discover the hidden world of life under the sea, experienced ocean life first-hand at touch tanks set up by our own Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, and then participated in the “Fatal Food Relay” game to learn about the consequences of pollution on marine life. Finally, the students took immediate action by participating in a beach cleanup. Heal the Bay staff members and our incredible volunteers were on hand to lead groups, educate, give beach talks, and help out with the cleanups.

Coastal Cleanup Activity Guide
Our Coastal Cleanup Day educational guide published last year is still available! Classroom sets of the 24-page, illustrated “Everyday is Coastal Cleanup Day” Activity Guide can be ordered online. The guide has been written to comply with California state education standards, which are listed on every page. The guide was made possible by the generous support of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, KCAL/KCBS, and the city of Santa Monica.

Special Thank You's...

Westside Chronicle
Special thanks to Westside Chronicle for supplying Heal the Bay with generous advertising. Westside Chronicle is a premier weekly newspaper providing local news, sports, entertainment, lifestyle, and business coverage for L.A.’s Westside region. Check them out at www.westsidechronicle.com!

Arrowhead Water
Most people don’t realize what it takes to pull off a countywide event involving thousands of volunteers, tons of supplies, and 50 trained site captains. It’s no small task! Thanks to the generosity of Arrowhead, Heal the Bay was able to provide water to the cleanup volunteers. Arrowhead was also present at two sites, Dockweiler and Playa del Rey, with their misting stations, providing an extra added bonus of comfort for volunteers. Thanks Arrowhead!