East Bay Regional Park District hosts Annual Coastal Cleanup Day Sept. 19

During 42nd Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day

OAKLAND, Calif. — Volunteers and East Bay Regional Park District staff will come together to clean and protect local shorelines and waterways during California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9am to noon. The Park District is facilitating cleanup events at nine sites across Alameda and Contra Costa counties, including bayside beaches, shoreline trails, and inland lakes. Staff and volunteers will work together to collect and dispose of litter and recyclables, beautify the shorelines, and help maintain delicate ecosystems. At last year’s event, volunteers collected an estimated 9,295 pounds of trash from East Bay Regional Parks.

Volunteers are welcome in all locations listed below, although registration is appreciated. Sign up at ebparks.org/coastal-cleanup or call 510-544-2229 for more information.

Park District Coastal Cleanup Day Sites

Contra Costa County

• Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, Giant Staging Area. More info.
• Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, end of Rydin Road, Richmond. More info.
• Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline, main parking lot off N. Court Street. More info.
• Waterbird Regional Preserve, near the pavilion by the parking area, Martinez. More info.

Alameda County

• Del Valle Regional Park, lakeside cleanups at the Visitor Center & Fiesta Grande Picnic Area. More info.
• Robert W. Crown Regional Shoreline, near the Native Plant Garden and Bath House. More info.
• Hayward Regional Shoreline, West Winton Avenue. More info.
• Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, Isherwood Way – Ensenada North Picnic Area. More info.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, Arrowhead Marsh Staging Area. More info.

The Park District will provide garbage bags and gloves, and volunteers are welcome to bring their own additional trash-hunting gear such as long-handled grabber tools. Participants are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle, hats, gloves, and sunscreen, and must wear closed-toe shoes. Layered clothing is recommended. The Park District will also provide snacks and water throughout the event. Please note that parent participation is required for children under 18.

Each year at Coastal Cleanup Day, volunteers discover unusual items during cleanup events. Past items include a boombox, statues of Ganesh and Shiva, a sparkly high heel, and a functioning 1980s-era ThighMaster. Participants who find an odd or interesting item will receive a Park District-themed cooling towel (while supplies last).

This year’s Coastal Cleanup Day also marks the 50th anniversary of California’s Coastal Act, the 1976 law that established a lasting commitment to protecting California’s coast and ensuring it remains accessible to everyone. Over the past 50 years, the Coastal Act has helped protect thousands of acres of open space and habitat, create public access to the coast, and open hundreds of miles of the California Coastal Trail. Coastal Cleanup Day is a chance for all to play a small part in caring for the land and ensuring it remains healthy and accessible for generations to come.

The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,330 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives an estimated 30 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.ebparks.org