Join Pitch In, Waste Free Santa Cruz and others...
Take the Plastic Free July Pledge

Start by bringing your own cup! Avoid Plastic Bottles, Stop using plastic food wrap.

Mark your Calendar for May 9th, 2026 for the Third Annual Pitch In All County Cleanup Day. Working together We Can Make Santa Cruz the Cleanest County in the State.

Opportunities to participate will be updated here on a regular basis.

Upcoming Cleanups

Join Save Our Shores cleanups
- Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach - Dr. Wallace J. Nichols Tribute (July 23 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm)
  Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
  - Registration is required
  - Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
  - Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
- Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (July 26 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
  Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
  - Registration is required
  - Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
  - Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
- Beach Cleanup @ Scott Creek Beach (August 2 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
  Scott Creek Beach 2QQC+QR, Davenport, CA
  - Registration is required
  - Meet Up Location: Please meet us on the concrete platform at the entrance of the beach.
  - Facilities & Accessibility: There are no restrooms available, and no drinking fountains on site. Parking is limited along Hwy 1, please plan accordingly. This location is not wheelchair accessible; there is a steep sandy path down to the beach.
- Beach Cleanup @ Cowell Beach (August 16 @ 9:00 am - 11:00 am)
  Cowell Beach 21 Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA
  - Registration is required
  - Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance.
  - Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly.
- Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (September 20 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm)
  Annual Coastal Cleanup Day returns for it’s 41st Anniversary on Saturday, September 20 from 9am-12pm at sites around the Monterey Bay. Annual Coastal Cleanup Day is an amazing opportunity to get outside with your fellow community members, clean up local habitats, and prevent trash from becoming harmful marine debris. We hope you will join the thousands of volunteers worldwide that will be participating this year! Stay tuned for volunteer registration to open later this summer!

Join Coastal Watershed Council!
- River Health Day (July 12 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm)
  Generally, we will meet on the east riverbank between the Laurel Street bridge and the Branciforte Creek pedestrian bridge. Sometimes we will meet near Mike Fox Skate Park. Free parking is available in the CWC parking lot at 107 Dakota Ave. Paid parking is also available on Dakota Avenue or across the river in downtown Santa Cruz. The closest parking garage is at 601 Front Street. Please RSVP below to receive up-to-date location information. Call (831) 464 9200 x104, or email CWC River Ecologist Kaiya Giuliano-Monroy with any questions before the event. RSVP for this and other River Health Day events!
- San Lorenzo Park Neighbors (September 13 @ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
  Meet at the duck pond at 10:30 am to join in!
  Join the San Lorenzo Park Neighbors and the Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation Department for a morning of volunteer service to beautify San Lorenzo Park, followed by a concert! Make a difference by picking up trash in the park, and help with special projects that may include painting, sanding benches, planting, weeding, raking, and or pruning. Tools will be provided for volunteers, as well as water and coffee. Meet at the duck pond at 10:30 am to join in! Email us with questions at sanlorenzoparkneighbors@gmail.com.

Join Grant Park Neighbors for community cleanups and fun!
- Saturday, August 23, 2025
- Saturday, September 20, 2025
- Saturday, October 11, 2025
- For more information, please visit grantparkneighbors.org

Cleanups Accomplished

Interlaken Cleanup

January 28, 2023

Cleanups image — Click to view the flyer

The blue skies and nearly balmy weather on Saturday, January 28^th 2023 defied our recent memory of atmospheric rivers and deluges of rain. Many areas in Santa Cruz county were devastated by the dramatic weather, waves, and flooding. The Interlaken Region of South Santa Cruz County was one such area, with homes and agricultural fields overtaken by flooding and debris.

A community clean-up was organized by Ramon Gomez, Chief of Staff of County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez (4^th District) and sponsored by The Trash Talkers, County of Santa Cruz, and Watsonville Wetland’s Watch. Engaging nearly one hundred volunteers, most of whom were youth members from the Watsonville Church of the Latter Day Saints, participants worked tirelessly to assist in restoring the neighborhood.

With broad smiles and positive attitudes volunteers put on their gloves and got to work. Working in teams, volunteers removed sand bags, and plastic from homes and driveways for pick up by members of County of Santa Cruz Public Works who contributed their time on a Saturday. Going door to door FEMA flyers were handed out and homeowners were given assistance from helping remove flood damaged appliances and carpet, to replacing furniture.

A special thank you to Matt Hackwell, Stake President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints of the Santa Cruz county area, Karen Faurot, Rosa Meyer, and Cynthia Simunovich for their inspirational leadership and support of the volunteers.

Cleanups To Date

Upcoming Cleanups

Cleanups Accomplished

Interlaken Cleanup