Our first 2025 beach cleanups are in full swing and starting off strong at Rockaway Beach in Pacifica. It was a hazy morning, and we welcomed 40 ambitious volunteers who joined us from Borel Middle School, the Chinese Consulate, Crystal Springs, Oceana High School, Sherman Elementary School, St. Catherine, St. Ignatius, and the Young Men’s Service League.

Many thanks to our Teen Site Captains, Caly and Arjun; the aforementioned volunteer groups; our regulars; and everyone else who came out for a successful day.

Together, our Earth Heroes collected:

• 41 pounds of landfill trash
• 9 pounds of recyclables
• 1,454 cigarette filters

Interestingly, a couple of our volunteers picked a beautiful blue mushroom that our naturalist, Julie, identified as a “Blewit.” The mushroom is edible, but we didn’t eat it. Two young volunteers took some time to write down what they love about the ocean. Best of all, we were able to gift a dog-walker with our growing collection of tennis balls. Now that’s what we call reusing and recycling!

If giving back to your community or spending more time outside is one of your New Year’s goals, we welcome you at a future PBC beach cleanup. Learn how to take action and sign up for an event near you.