On Sept. 20, volunteers will gather along the Castro Valley Creek for the annual coastal cleanup, an event organized by the Alameda County Unincorporated Area Clean Water.
The cleanup, from 9am to 12pm, was commissioned by the Alameda County Resource Conservation District (ACRCD) and aims to beautify the creek and trail, removing litter, trash and invasive species. While the day is centered on removing debris, organizers emphasize that the cleanup also serves as a reminder of how small community efforts can help protect local waterways and the bay.
The event is part of a larger statewide effort to reduce trash called Coastal Cleanup Day, which was started in 1985. Launched in response to concern over increased trash on beaches, the event has since grown into the largest single-day volunteer event in the state, mobilizing thousands of people every year to beaches and waterways to collect trash.
This has expanded to inland areas as well, where litter can travel through storm drains or waterways into the bay. The Castro Valley Creek cleanup has been held in the same location yearly and plays its part to remove trash and keep the community clean. Last year alone, the Alameda County Clean Water Program (ACCWP) collected over 44 cubic yards of trash, an amount weighing over 70,000 pounds.
The program also serves a mission beyond simply picking up trash. Cynthia Butler, the ACCWP spokesperson, said that the event seeks to motivate people that they can make a difference within their communities. “Part of our main message is [our motto] ‘only rain down the storm drain.’ We try to remind people that anything that ends up on our streets will wash down the storm drain and end up in our creeks in the bay,” she added.
To support this goal, the program allows high school volunteers or other participants to help sort and analyze the types of trash collected. This helps organizers track trends over time and educates volunteers on where the materials are coming from and what kinds are most commonly found, leading to greater awareness of pollution.
According to the ACRCD, cigarette butts, food wrappers, and plastic caps and bags collected from 1988 to 2023 accounted for over 60% of all trash collected—or roughly 15 million pieces of trash.
Improvements don’t always need to be the result of large cleanups, but small changes like choosing not to litter. Single-use plastics and pesticides for gardens often accumulate near oceans, Butler says, so choosing to be conscious when throwing away trash or using less-toxic items goes a long way.
Coastal Cleanup
Saturday, Sept 20
9am – 12pm
Castro Valley Trail and Creek
Castro Valley Creek
3625 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley
Register on Eventbrite
Hayward Shoreline
Hayward Shoreline Regional Park
3050 West Winton Ave., Hayward
ebparks.org/get-involved/volunteer/coastal-cleanup
Quarry Lakes
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area
2100 Isherwood Way, Fremont
ebparks.org/get-involved/volunteer/coastal-cleanup
Fremont
Various sites including Tule Ponds and Central Park
View all at fremont.gov/government/departments/environmental-services/events/coastal-cleanup-day
