WORLDWIDE Annual Coastal Cleanup Day September 17, 2011 | Environment

(September 7th, 2011) Santa Cruz, CA – For the benefit of the marine environment, Save Our Shores (SOS), the leader in ocean advocacy and citizen action on the Central Coast, is rallying thousands of volunteers in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties for the largest beach cleanup of the year: Annual Coastal Cleanup Day Saturday this September 17, from 9 am – 12 noon.

      Taking place at 50 cleanup sites in Santa Cruz County and 30 sites in Monterey County, Save Our Shores expects to coordinate over 6,000 volunteers on September 17. Cleanup sites include beach, river, inland, and even kayak and SCUBA sites around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Event information, pre-registration, and cleanup site maps can be found at: saveourshores.org/acc.

      "If you have enjoyed yourself on a clean and beautiful beach this summer, Annual Coastal Cleanup Day this September 17 is your opportunity to give back to the ocean.  Help protect Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties' most valuable resource – our beautiful beaches and shorelines," says Andrew Hoeksema, Coordinator of Volunteer Programs at Save Our Shores.

      To support Annual Coastal Cleanup Day in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, text “SOS” to the number 20222 to donate $5 toward the largest community cleanup of the year.

      All cleanup materials will be provided, but volunteers are encouraged to help lower the carbon footprint of this event by bringing their own bucket, reusable bags, and gloves to help reduce single-use disposables generated. Pre-register today at: http://saveourshores.org/acc.

      In 2010, Save Our Shores coordinated 6,043 volunteers in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties who removed nearly 20,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from local beaches and waterways in just 3 hours, pollution that would have otherwise entered the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. With just over 100 countries participating in this massive global effort to keep pollution out of our oceans and waterways, International Coastal Cleanup Day is the single largest volunteer event on the planet.

About Save Our Shores:

Save Our Shores is the Central Coast leader in caring for the marine environment through ocean awareness, advocacy and citizen action. Our core initiatives are Plastic Pollution, Clean Boating, and Ocean Awareness. Over the last 30 years, Save Our Shores helped to establish the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, prevent offshore oil drilling and cruise ship pollution, and today focuses on educating youth about our local watersheds, tackling pollution on our beaches and rivers, implementing our renowned DockWalker program, and providing our community with educated and inspired Sanctuary Stewards.  For more information visit: www.saveourshores.org.