June 28 -San Diego Clean Beach Coalition Preps Beaches for Holiday Crowds

San Diego, CA – As the Fourth of July holiday weekend draws near, the San Diego Clean Beach Coalition (CBC) is poised to prevent the pollution problem that plagues area beaches during major summer holidays. The Coalition has raised close to $15,000 from local businesses and government agencies to support the purchase and placement of 110 temporary trash and 90 recycle bins for the Independence Day and Labor Day holidays. Look for these temporary cardboard bins on the sand in the areas of Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Mission Bay Park, and Pacific Beach.

This year the Clean Beach Coalition encourages awareness about individuals’ ability to reduce their waste.  Each person has the capacity to anticipate the trash they will create in their day and act prudently to prevent that trash from ending up on the beach and in the ocean.  The CBC has provided a list of suggestions for what to bring to the beach as well as what not to bring, in order to make it easier to enjoy the holiday without the guilt and mess of trash littering the coastline.  Based on combined beach cleanup data, the CBC advises to avoid Styrofoam, single use plastics cups/bottles, and heavily plastic-packaged goods.  The CBC also suggests that beachgoers bring reusable bottles that can be refilled at water fountains, pack lunch in Tupperware within a durable, reusable cooler, and if you need a trash bag, borrow one from a less eco-minded neighbor who packed their party in plastic.  It’s important to spread the knowledge about why your patriotic celebration is plastic-free; this step is a worthy investment in the future of local environment. While the Coalition’s focus is on preventing the mess, it also sponsors the annual July 5 “Morning After Mess” cleanup. See http://sandiego.surfrider.org/the-morning-after-mess for details and to find out how to help.

The Clean Beach Coalition, which consists of local environmental organizations, community groups, and government agencies, has come together for the fourth consecutive year to raise awareness of and prevent beach litter issues. CBC member agencies include: FreePB.org, I Love A Clean San Diego, San Diego Coastkeeper, the San Diego Chapter of Surfrider Foundation as well as the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department. This year’s efforts would not be possible without the support of generous sponsors, including title sponsor Pacific Beach Shore Club and others including Woodstock’s Pizza, Lahaina Beach House, Verant Group, Allied Waste Services, Mission Beach Town Council, SDG&E, Vavi Sport and Social Club, Mission Beach Woman’s Club, City of San Diego District 2 and San Diego Coaster Company. More information about the San Diego Clean Beach Coalition is available at www.cleanbeachcoalition.org.

The San Diego Clean Beach Coalition is a collaboration of local non-profit organizations and city agencies focused on coastal stewardship, raising awareness of beach litter issues, and preventing marine debris.

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