Every April we receive a welcome reminder to care for the planet any way we can. Earth Month was first established in America in April of 1970, after 4.2 million gallons of oil spilled onto the beaches in Santa Barbara and coated the shores with dead animals and crude oil. It was the largest oil spill in history at the time—and is now third on the list.
The incident inspired the nation to be more environmentally conscious, and Earth Month was recognized globally in 1990. While April is a great month to learn how to become an environmental advocate, there are plenty of ways throughout the year to care for the planet.
One of the easiest ways to make an impact is removing leftover trash and debris from neighborhoods and beaches. Long Beach has multiple organizations that dedicate at least one day a month to remove waste from our surroundings. Residents have plenty of options for monthly cleanups around the city so they can take care of the Earth year-round.
Cal Heights Cleanup: 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help clean the California Heights neighborhood. Bags, trash pickers and reusable gloves are provided. This weekly clean up is organized by Cal Heights Clean Streets. Volunteers should meet on the northwest corner of the intersection of Lime Avenue and Wardlow Road.
Cleanup Coalition’s Beach Cleanup: 10 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month. Six various organizations in Long Beach team up every month to clean Junipero Beach and teach an environmental topic to volunteers. Organizers will provide free coffee, donuts (vegan and non-vegan), a water-filling station, gloves and sifters. Volunteers should bring a reusable water bottle and sunscreen.
Belmont Pier Cleanup: 10 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of each month. The Surfrider Foundation asks volunteers to help clean the beach around the Belmont Pier. Volunteers should bring their own bags or buckets, trash pickers, gloves, sun protection and water. Hand sanitizer and a free parking pass will be provided. Volunteers are asked to sign up ahead of time at volunteer.surfrider.org. Volunteers will be able to see the exact meeting location after signing up.
30-Minute Beach Cleanup: 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month. Community organizer Justin Rudd invites volunteers to this short clean up in Belmont Shore (1 Granada Ave.). Trash bags, gloves, refreshments and free parking will be provided. The code for the parking kiosk is JUS0520.
Zaferia Neighborhood Cleanup: 8 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of every month. The WESCA/Zaferia Neighborhood Association is asking volunteers to help clean Orizaba Park (1435 Orizaba Ave.). There will be a canopy at the intersection of 14th Street and Orizaba Avenue where volunteers are asked to sign up. Trash bags, gloves and bottled water will be provided. There will also be a dumpster where residents can drop off large pieces of trash such as old or broken furniture, tires, tree trimmings and more.
Alamitos Beach Cleanup: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the fourth Sunday of every month. Volunteers are needed to help clean Alamitos Beach (380 E Shoreline Dr.). Gloves and bags will be provided. Free parking is available and codes are posted on the @alamitosbeachcleanup Instagram page.
Junipero Beach Cleanup: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the second Saturday of every month. Clean LB asks volunteers to help clean Junipero Beach (2100 E Ocean Blvd.). Bags and gloves will be provided.
Los Cerritos/Bixby Knolls Cleanups: Every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The Los Cerritos and Bixby Knolls Clean Streets organization meets at a different location in the neighborhoods every Sunday to keep the area trash-free. All supplies are provided and the location is posted on the group’s Facebook page each week.
Seal Beach Cleanup: 9 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of each month. Nonprofit organization Save Our Beach meets up at the Seal Beach parking lot at the end of First Street to help clean the one-mile shoreline. Volunteers are asked to register online so there are enough supplies.
I am here to tell you beach clean ups are a waste of time. Try riverbed cleanups instead, as they are the true source of what ends up on our beaches. As an avid cyclist I use both the San Gabriel and LA riverbed, and on occasion the Santa Ana. The one thing they have in common are the homeless camps. They leave all sorts of trash in the river system. I have seen them walk down to the water and deliberately toss old clothes, trash, bikes etc into the water. Don’t get me wrong, they need a place to live, so I don’t mind them. Plus, when they get their camps cleaned out they just end up in our neighborhoods.
So, long story short. If the city would take the time to clean up the trash left on the riverbed floors prior to a storm, then pur beaches would stay relatively clean. And in between storms, throw a riverbed clean up on the calendar and take care of the source