What to Know
- The 40th California Coastal Cleanup Day, presented by the California Coastal Commission
- Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024
- Volunteers will call upon several water-close locations around the state to pick up litter; beaches, rivers, and greenways are all on the map
- Be sure to read up on what supplies you'll need to bring to your designated spot
- Common items found during past clean-ups are listed on this site
It would be impossible to add up all of the paintings that feature beaches; plein air portraits, pastel sketches, and impressionist fantasies have all found airy and artful inspiration in the tides, the sand, the play of fog and light, and the eternal splendor of the surf.
Beaches, of course, are real-world, utterly epic paintings you can visit, and keeping these salty, sunny, and spectacular works of art looking their best is important.
California Coastal Cleanup Day isn't simply about appearances, however; when we clear our coasts of mounting clutter, the bits of debris that all too often litter the water and sand, we commit to helping the health of the ocean and the animals that call it home.
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The annual volunteer event has spent four decades calling upon several water-y destinations around the Golden State, including inland lakes and rivers, all to give these natural gems a deep and much-needed cleaning courtesy of a cadre of can-do volunteers.
If you'd like to join the 2024 event on Sept. 21, choosing your cleanup spot from this map, then signing up, are the first steps.
Bolsa Chica State Beach, Upper Newport Bay, and Junipero Beach are just some of the Southern California locations; there are hundreds more dotting the California map.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
Heal the Bay and LA Waterkeeper are organizing several regional cleanups; you can join one, or you might check in with another nature-championing nonprofit to see what organizers have planned for the day.
Wherever you land, just be sure to review the supplies you should arrive with and the details you'll need to know in advance.
If you can't make it, there are ways to support California Coastal Cleanup Day; t-shirts are for sale on the site, too.
The long-running volunteer event "... has successfully diverted millions of pounds of plastic debris from the ocean..." says the site, but California Coastal Cleanup Day has several pay-it-forward dividends, including informing and supporting policy efforts and creating a statewide community that gathers "... to accomplish something vital and worthy on behalf of the places we treasure."
Finding the perfect painting you can step inside?
That's as simple as visiting a beloved beach or riverbank. Help keep these real-world artworks in top form by joining this large-scale volunteer campaign now.
