Volunteers Help Clean Up Imperial Beach After July 4 Holiday

IMPERIAL BEACH, CA — Volunteers helped clean up the mess left by Fourth of July beachgoers Wednesday in Imperial Beach and across San Diego County.

Surfrider Foundation and partner organizations hosted the "Morning After Mess" Beach Cleanup Series at eight San Diego area beaches. In 2022, 500 volunteers removed 1,600 pounds of trash in only two hours from five beaches, according to the organization.

"These cleanups raise awareness about how prevalent single-use plastic items, and help us document exactly what ends up on the sand, so we can advocate for informed policy reform," said Alex Ferron, chapter manager of Surfrider Foundation San Diego.

"We hope to see folks ditch common single-use plastic items," Ferron added. "Plastic waste like bottled water, cups, plates, utensils, etc., can be easily replaced with reusable versions, which are much less likely to be left behind and help reduce our collective impact."

The cleanups were scheduled from 8-11 a.m. Wednesday at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, Fiesta Island, Imperial Beach, Mission Beach Park, Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, Ocean Beach Dog Park Estuary, Ocean Beach Pier and Oceanside Pier.