Times are changing and so must we!

During the pandemic, all of our beach cleanups were canceled, but that didn’t stop us. Community members just like you have been cleaning up their neighborhoods and becoming Earth Heroes since 2020. Are you ready to make a difference and join our latest cleanup program?

Our goal was to get as many Earth Heroes as possible to cleanup a location of their liking and inspire others. Litter is still around us and the ocean still needs our help.

What are “Street to Beach” cleanups?

Street to Beach cleanups are cleanups you complete on your own or with family/friends. It can be around your neighborhood, at the beach, in a litter-heavy area, or anywhere! You could even “adopt” a specific location in need and care for it on a regular basis.

Please Note: If you do a cleanup, you are doing it on your own accord and personally accepting any and all risks.

Why should we do this?

Neighborhood and street cleanups are not fun and rewarding outdoor activities, but picking up litter from the streets keeps it from flowing into the ocean via our storm drains. We are now finding lots of litter, plastic bags, wrappers, disposable gloves, masks, and food containers on our beaches and throughout the neighborhoods. YOU can be the one to prevent this from happening.

How can we help?

It is very easy! Make sure you have all your supplies ready, and go out! Don’t forget to let us know how much trash you collected so that we can add it to our total. Remember every single piece counts!

Can I get community service hours?

Yes you can! We put a special system in place to help students get their community hours verified after a cleanup. Follow these instructions, it is easy! Just make sure you tell us how much trash you collected.

Follow these 4 steps to have a safe and fun cleanup:

1. Sign The Online Waiver

To make sure that everyone is covered, please sign the online waiver just like you do during our monthly cleanups. It only takes a few seconds!

2. Gear Up

Grab a bucket or a bag: If you don’t find anything at home, you can get 2-5 gallon buckets at your local hardware store for only a few dollars each.

Put on some gloves: Reusable ones are more sustainable. You can also find these at your hardware store for less than $5.

Take your trash collecting stick: These are also available at your hardware store. We recommend spending a little bit extra to get a solid and reliable grabber.

Don’t forget your phone: Take pictures and share them on social media and tag @pacificbeachcoalition on Facebook and Instragram. And with the Clean Swell app installed, you can track how much trash you pick up. More details below!

3. Cleanup Around You

We can’t stress this enough: you don’t need to go far to have a successful and ultra-rewarding cleanup!
Even just cleaning up your around your block makes a huge difference. Look for tiny bits of litter such as food wrappers, cigarette butts, bottle caps, etc.

You can also go to your favorite beach, park, neighborhood, or trails and pick up litter there.

Going to the same place regularly is actually a great way to see how much of a difference you make. Hopefully, you will find less and less litter and you will very likely inspire others to do the same!

4. Log Your Trash

Record your hard work!

Download the Clean Swell App and log in your trash. It will automatically tally your items, weight and distance making it easy for you. Please remember to list Pacific Beach Coalition as your group so we can see your results too. [find all the instructions here].

If you can’t to use the Clean Swell App, please record your results on the PBC Blue Bucket. Give us a weight estimate, number of volunteers, and number of cigarette butts. 

Feel free to post your efforts on our Facebook Group and inspire others with your work!

Do You Need Supplies?

We are happy to help. Send us an email (info [at] pacificbeachcoalition.org). We will get back to you to arrange a time and pick-up location.

And Remember, Safety First!

To protect your health and slow the spread of the coronavirus, we recommend that you comply with the following cleanup guidelines:

• Wear gloves and a face mask (think reusable).
• Avoid touching your face.
• When done, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.
• Wash your gloves.
• Do not pick up sharp objects unless you can do so safely.
• Wear close-toed shoes to protect your feet from sharp objects.
• Keep a safe distance from all beach wildlife!