Montecito’s 41st Annual Coastal Clean-Up Day

It’s that time of year when we reach out in Montecito to join the thousands of volunteers along the California coast and along the shoreline world-wide to participate in the 41^st Annual Coastal Clean-Up Day. 

This year saw a huge increase to approximately 100 volunteers to our shores, with 35 volunteers at Butterfly Beach and 63 volunteers at Hammond’s-Miramar-Fernald Point Beach! I couldn’t help but wonder … was nature smiling on our efforts while the autumn overcast dewy morning gave way to sunshine by noon?

There were 18 Westmont College students at Butterfly Beach which heralded a new participation level for the school in the 10 years I have reported on this important effort. Laguna Blanca School has sponsored / manned the Hammond’s-Miramar-Fernald Point for over ten years, with volunteers including teachers, students, and parents.

I scheduled to meet with both area’s captains between the usual 11:15-12:30 zone when the calculation of collected trash by weight is done, as well as the recording of trash collected by type. I arrived at Butterfly Beach to find only a few trash bags left to be picked up by the famous tree near the steps to the beach! Snapping a photo of the trash, I texted the site captains who said they left early due to the incredible number of volunteers cleaning the area and were kind enough to send over a few photos for our readers! 

The Butterfly Beach shore at Channel Drive, across the street from the Biltmore Hotel, is successfully managed by Site Captains 17-year-old Pyp Pratt and his father Paul Pratt, organized by Midland School where Pyp is a student. Pyp has been in charge of collecting trash at this location for six years plus. His team collected over 70 pounds of trash. The most common trash found on Butterfly Beach shores were cigarette butts, THC products and pet poop bags. The Site Captains have it noted that very little styrofoam was found this year; YAY Montecito on that.

I then drove over to the Laguna Blanca School team at beaches of Hammond’s, Miramar, and Fernald Point area, setting up base at the top of the stairs to the beach off of Eucalyptus Lane. I met with the Site Captains for the tenth year in a row. They are Laguna Blanca School science teachers with backgrounds in marine science, Allison Armstrong, and Katie Pointer. Science teacher Kevin Valdez also worked as a Site Captain but had already left when I arrived. The team wanted me to give a nod to All Saints-By-the-Sea parishioners who join off and on over the years and provided a photo they took that included Valdez for our readers.

We talked about their part in the clean-up project, and any interesting trash pulled up today. They shared, “Sadly there were a lot of broken spiked nets, lobster traps, ocean recreation toys, wood, a lot of abandoned bagged dog poop, and boxed drinking water containers. One of our volunteers was a gentleman who said he and his wife walk this beach three times a week for the purpose of cleaning up the trash! Another woman said to us what if each person picked up one piece of trash per day, it would make a huge difference. It takes all of us doing tiny steps on a daily basis which will help one realize that change is possible and globally, if we are all willing to participate.” 

The Laguna Blanca School team had 63 volunteers, including 26 students and 34 Laguna Blanca School community members, Laguna Blanca kindergarten teacher Mieke Delwiche, Head of School Ron Cino and his wife, Nathalie, Lower School teachers Lisa Vance and Alyssa Barker.

Seems pet owners who walk our Montecito beaches need a reminder on taking the pet poop bags to a trash
bin!

411: Santa Barbara County Coastal Cleanup Day is coordinated by Explore Ecology and the County of Santa Barbara Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division, with support from the cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Solvang. Special thanks to the many nonprofits, businesses, and generous individuals who make this event possible. The California Coastal Commission organizes the statewide event and the international event is organized by the Ocean Conservancy.