Volunteers Needed for Coastal Cleanup

The Santa Monica-based environmental group Heal the Bay is seeking volunteers to help clean beaches and parks during the 22nd annual  Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 17.

People can volunteer at one of the approximately 60 coastal and inland sites throughout Los Angeles County to remove cigarette butts, cans, bottles, plastic bags and any other debris that eventually ends up on the beaches and in the ocean.

The REI Santa Monica store is hosting a special kayak cleanup of Ballona Creek. The store is asking experienced kayakers to help out from 10:30 a.m. to noon and there are seven spots left, according to REI Santa Monica's kayak cleanup registration page.

In addition, Coastal Cleanup Day sponsor Ford Motor Co. will offer volunteers at the Dockweiler State Beach site in Playa del Rey test drives of its 2011 models and donate $50 to Heal the Bay for every test drive taken. Volunteers who test drive one of the vehicles will be automatically entered for a chance to win a new, eco-friendly Ford, with results to be announced at the end of the cleanup.

Last year, more than 14,000 Los Angeles County volunteers picked up more than 137,000 pounds of trash during Coastal Cleanup Day, according to Heal the Bay. The local cleanup is part of the larger, international Coastal Cleanup led by the Ocean Conservancy. The Guinness Book of World Records has recognized the day as the world’s biggest 24-hour volunteer event.

Heal the Bay asks volunteers to bring their own bags or buckets to collect trash, as well as gloves and a water bottle. Volunteers are encouraged to register here.

“I love a clean street, noticing there’s no trash in the gutters or in the mouths of the catch basins, and I know my neighbors do too,” said Eveline Bravo, manager of Heal the Bay’s beach and Coastal Cleanup programs, in a press release. “On Coastal Cleanup Day everyone in Los Angeles gets a chance to clear their streets and neighborhoods of debris. Plus, it feels good knowing that whatever people pick up that day won’t end up in the ocean.”