Long Beach Seeks Volunteers for 40th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, September 21
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Long Beach, CA ~ Long Beach, CA - The 40th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day is quickly approaching and the City of Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) is calling on the community to join in and make a positive impact on the local environment. This year's event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.

Mayor Rex Richardson expressed his enthusiasm for the event, stating, "California Coastal Cleanup Day brings us together every year to preserve the beauty and health of our shoreline." He also highlighted a new addition to this year's event - a youth art contest. "With our new youth art contest, we are empowering our younger generations to make a meaningful impact by combining their passion for art with environmental action," Mayor Richardson added.

Volunteers are welcome to join in at any time between 9 a.m. and noon at various locations along the Long Beach shoreline. These include Junipero Beach, Belmont Pier, Peninsula, Mother's Beach, and Seal Beach Yacht Club. Gloves and trash bags will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring their own reusable buckets and gloves to limit waste.

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The City has partnered with various organizations such as Aquarium of the Pacific, Los Angeles Waterkeeper, Algalita, Seal Beach Yacht Club and El Dorado Nature Center who will serve as site captains for the cleanup efforts. Parking will be free for all volunteers.

To save time on the day of the event, pre-registration is encouraged through a digital waiver provided by the California Coastal Commission. For those unable to pre-register online, liability waivers will also be available at each site. Large groups such as school groups or businesses are asked to contact Long Beach Coastal Cleanup Day Coordinator Kaitlin Soto at 562.570.1745 for registration assistance.

In addition to cleaning up debris from the shoreline, this year's event will also feature a youth art and naming contest for the Jellyfishbot. This new piece of debris-collecting equipment, capable of removing up to 100 pounds of debris in a single mission, will be launched by PRM and the Adopt a Beach Program in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific. Local youth are invited to submit their ideas for a chance to name the Jellyfishbot and have their art displayed on its sides. The chosen artist will receive a scholarship package and other prizes generously donated by sponsors.

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Last year, over 1,100 volunteers in Long Beach removed more than 2,500 pounds of debris in just three hours. This year, the City hopes to increase participation and continue to educate the community about marine debris issues and inspire environmental stewardship.

The City has also made significant investments and efforts to improve water quality and mitigate debris on its beaches. As part of the Adopted Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, one-time funding was approved for a barber surf rake to support the Beach Clean-up Crew and increase the frequency of beachfront waterline clean-up. A new trash interceptor barge will also be placed in the Los Angeles River to improve water quality. The City is also actively working with regional partners and advocating for infrastructure improvements to address upstream sewage spills. Additionally, they continue to advocate for state funding for communities impacted by sewage spills like Long Beach.

The California Coastal Cleanup Day is an important event that not only helps keep our beaches clean but also raises awareness about environmental issues facing our community. The City of Long Beach encourages everyone to join in this year's efforts and make a positive impact on our local environment.

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