California Coastal Cleanup Day Set for September 15

On Saturday, September 15, 2007, California will hold its twenty-third annual coastal cleanup day. Made famous by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1993 as the world's "largest garbage collection," over 750,000 Californians have removed more than 12 million pounds of debris since the inception of California's Coastal Cleanup Day.

One beauty of the Coastal Cleanup Day is the ease with which people can participate. Individuals can pre-register with local county coordinators. Alternatively, they can simply show up at any of the drop-in sites and register the day of the event. The event coordinators has directed individuals interested in joining the Coastal Cleanup Day fun to call (800) COAST-4U or simply go to the coast4u@coastal.ca.gov web site.

Another selling point for this event is the fact that its coordinators are dedicated to making this event accessible to all Californians. Thus, many of the designated cleanup sites have available specially designed Beach Wheelchairs equipped with large, wide wheels that will roll across the sand without sinking. These wheelchairs may require someone to push them across the sand. Alternatively, a few California Coastal Cleanup Day locations offer self-propelled motorized chairs. The chairs are available free of charge, though, users might have to leave personal identification while borrowing the chair. You can find more details at this link. In addition, it never hurts to call ahead to ensure that event coordinators can meet any special requirements.

The importance of this event from an environmental standpoint increases each year. For example, since the event began in 1985, consumers have begun to use an increasing amount of non-biodegradable petroleum plastics. According to Captain Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, plastic floating near the sea surface is frequently mistaken as food by birds and fishes. According to his research, broken, degraded plastic pieces outweigh surface zooplankton in the central North Pacific by a factor of 6-1. Thus, you will find six pounds of plastic floating in the ocean for every single pound of zooplankton. According to scientific research, as plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller particles, it mimics the food that many marine fish and birds eat. Moreover, plastic pieces can attract and hold hydrophobic elements like PCB and DDT up to one million times background levels. This turns each bit of floating plastic into a "poison pill" waiting to be ingested by some unfortunate bird or fish.

While the California Coastal Cleanup Day cannot stop this problem, it does help. More importantly, it provides an opportunity for Californians to see the impact that trash and litter are having on its coastal communities. Moreover, it does so in a manner that allows families, clubs, schools, and Churches to enjoy productive, environmentally sound outdoor fun. Moreover, California Coastal Cleanup Day is for entire families, including children. Scouts can earn a special patch. Some of the sites, such as San Diego, will hold special drawing contests. Clear your calendars, sign up, and join in the fun.