The Pacific Beach Coalition creates positive and lasting change within our coastal communities. This year, our volunteer-led organization proudly received the prestigious 2024 California Nonprofit of the Year award.

Since 2005, we’ve engaged 180,000 volunteers and kept 400,000 pounds of trash and 60,000 pounds of recyclables from entering our waterways and ocean. During our habitat restoration events, we’ve removed more than 375,000 pounds of invasive weeds, planted more than 20,000 native plants and rehabilitated the beaches and trail from Linda Mar to Rockaway to nearly 100 percent native habitat. Since 2014, about 2,000 pounds of cigarette butts have been collected and sent to TerraCycle to be recycled. And there’s always more work to be done!

With your generous support on Giving Tuesday, you can be a Coastal Guardian to ensure this important work continues for many years to come.

Check out the inspiring things we’ve accomplished in 2024 so far.

1. We clean up beaches, streets, parks and neighborhoods in Pacifica and beyond

As of November 15, 2024, our volunteers did an incredible job removing trash from our streets and beaches.

• 1,017 events
• 10,655 volunteers
• 29,584 pounds of trash
• 2,456 pounds of recycling
• 46,733 green waste

2. We restore native habitats by removing invasive weeds and planting native plants

Our monthly habitat restoration initiatives provide a unique hands-on learning experience for participants to gain a greater appreciation for nature and preserving habitat, wildlife and the coastal environment. We also offer Give Back events that allow small corporate and school groups to help create a more biologically sustainable beach. This year, we added three new restoration sites at Calera Creek in Vallemar and Thornton Vista and Mussel Rock in Daly City.

• 1,882 volunteers
• 536 native plants planted
• 7,021 square yards mulched

3. We fight against cigarette filters and keep harmful chemicals out of our waterways

Cigarette filters are extremely toxic and contain almost 15,000 microplastic fibers. It’s true! They’re also the number one littered item in the world. Since 2014, we collected and recycled a staggering 2 million filters. That amounts to about 2,000 pounds.

Volunteers, who participate in our beach cleanups, collect the filters and keep them aside in a separate container to be individually counted at the end of each event. This allows us to send them to TerraCycle to be recycled and made into various products like this cool picnic table at Mussel Rock.

• 72,729 cigarette filters collected during the 2024 Butt Blitz
• 228,540 cigarette filters collected as of November 15, 2024

4. We educate students and teachers during our school assemblies

We are very proud of the level of education we provided to adults and kids through our school assembly programs this year. Each assembly is an opportunity to inspire the next generation of Earth Heroes.

• 29 school assemblies
• 15 schools
• 4,905 students

5. We bring education to the beaches and local communities

Our professional naturalists join beach cleanups with items to see and touch and to educate volunteers on local wildlife, geology, plants and more. Our naturalists have a wealth of knowledge and are marine biologists, docents from Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and long-time members of the community who have studied and documented our coastal environment. They also host special tidepooling events throughout the year.

• 132 cleanups featuring a naturalist
• 11 site locations

6. We organize the biggest eco-friendly event in the Bay Area with Earth Day of Action

Earth Day of Action was a day marked by collective action and environmental stewardship. We also hosted our first WhaleFest at Linda Mar, which made a big splash! The festivities included educational talks, interactive exhibits for kids, and activities that brought our community closer to the marine environments we strive to protect.

• 1,598 volunteers
• 1,591 pounds of trash
• 357 pounds of recycling
• 14,961 pounds of green waste
• 10,716 cigarette filters
• 50 native plants planted
• 4,000+ attendees at WhaleFest

7. We love our ocean, coastline and community

Each piece of plastic picked up and every cigarette filter collected represents a life saved in our ocean and a step toward a healthier planet. We do our best to protect and preserve our ocean and hope you will donate today to help us keep our programs and all of our actions alive!

• $5 provides a lid for our butt collection bins
• $25 provides 5 native plants for a habitat restoration 
• $75 provides a naturalist for a cleanup 
• $250 provides an assembly to a whole school

When you donate to PBC, an all-volunteer organization, you become a part of the Coastal Guardians Club — a collective effort to protect our oceans and coastlines for generations to come. Donate once or make it a recurring donation.

• Shorebird Supporter (up to $100): As a Shorebird Supporter, you help us preserve the beauty of our beaches and shoreline.
• Dolphin Defender ($250): Join as a Dolphin Defender and actively contribute to the protection and conservation of our ocean’s wildlife.
• Kelp Keeper ($500): Become a Kelp Keeper and support vital projects that help preserve our coastal ecosystems.
• Whale Warrior (+$1000): As a Whale Warrior, your generous contribution ensures the sustainability of our oceans for future generations.

Donate today to help us achieve our mission of preserving the ocean, coastal habitat and wildlife, and ending litter, through advocacy, education, community building and citizen action.

Thank you for your generosity!