Coastal Clean Up Day Draws Hundreds of Volunteers

Over 430 volunteers gathered at Will Rogers State beach Saturday to participate in International Coastal Cleanup day.

Families, groups of friends, local residents, high school students and community service volunteers covered a three mile stretch of the beach picking up trash that would otherwise wash out into the ocean and harm sea life.

“There a broken pieces of Styrofoam cups that get into the ocean and are mistaken as food by fish.  These volunteers are doing such a good thing by helping pick that trash up,” said Debra Gerod, Heal the Bay volunteer captain.

Over 188 bags of trash were collected weighing in at 393 pounds.  Things collected included mattress pieces, clothing, shoes, glass, bottles, a rake and more.  There were 4 dead birds and several large wood planks.

“I think there is way more trash this year than at last years event,” said Meghna Khanna, Heal the Bay volunteer.  Khanna weighted the trash at the close of the event and said some of the bags weighed up to 25 lbs. each.

The bags are weight to collect data that can be used to help change beach policies and convince people to be more careful with their trash.  According to healthebay.org over 90 countries participated in today's event. 

Heal the Bay holds regular cleanup days monthly.  If you would like to help keep the beaches clean, you can get more information at www.healthebay.org.