Adopt-A-Beach

California’s Adopt-A-Beach program gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn about and actively participate in conserving coastal resources.  The Adopt-A-Beach program is I Love A Clean San Diego’s most popular volunteer program.  A statewide program funded by the California Coastal Commission, ILACSD coordinates over 4,000 volunteers annually through the Adopt-A-Beach (AAB) program. 

Why is this program important?

The Adopt-A-Beach program is not just about trash.  It’s about the need for clean oceans, shorelines, and waterways.  It is about Californians acting together to create lasting solutions to marine pollution.  Our oceans and waterways have been a dumping ground for man-made debris.  The harmful effects of marine debris are severe: negative economic and aesthetic impacts, harm and risk to human health and safety, injury and death to animals through entanglement and ingestion, and habitat destruction. 

What areas can be adopted?

I Love A Clean San Diego has recently expanded the program from over 80 beach areas to now include inland areas, in order to highlight the fact that almost 80% of marine debris originates from inland sources.  By adopting a canyon or park inland, a group is preventing that trash from making its way to the ocean and becoming marine debris. 

For a complete list of adoptable beaches and inland areas, click here or download the list.

Requirements

Anyone can participate in the AAB program, as long as they agree to perform 3 cleanups during the course of one year.  Due to transportation issues, school groups are only required to perform 1 cleanup per year. 

Education component

As part of the program, ILACSD offers free education presentations to interested adopters as part of their first cleanup.  These presentations are usually on-site at the cleanup, and last about 15 minutes.  If your group is interested in a presentation, please contact us as soon as you know your cleanup date so we may schedule a staff member to attend. 

 

Follow these easy steps to ADOPT-A-BEACH

STEP 1

Visit the Adopt-A-Beach website to register and choose a site!  Agree to three cleanups a year and choose the dates for each cleanup.

STEP 2

Recruit friends, family members and co-workers to join you!  More volunteers mean cleaner beaches, as everyone is able to comb a larger area and collect much more trash, keeping our beaches and shorelines clean and healthy.  Don’t forget that all participants must sign a Waiver of Liability prior to the cleanup.  If you are in the city of San Diego, be sure to download the volunteer sign in sheet off the waivers page and have your participants sign in at the event.

STEP 3

Call ILACSD one week before your cleanup to schedule a supply-pickup.  We will need to know the expected number of participants, and if you would like to borrow trash grabbers, bring a deposit in the form of check or cash for $5/grabber.  We recommend that you turn in signed waivers when you come to pick up supplies.

STEP 4

Clean your adopted area!  Dress for success by wearing closed-toed shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and gloves.  Be sure to bring a "totals sheet" with you to your event to keep track of trash as you go.

STEP 5

After your cleanup, return any unused supplies and login on the website to submit your totals from your totals sheet, detailing the amount of trash & recyclables picked up as well as the number of participants. 

Who do I contact with questions?

If you have any questions regarding the Adopt-A-Beach program please contact Morgan Justice-Black, Volunteer & Event Coordinator at volunteers@cleansd.org or (619) 291-0103 ext. 3003. 

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