Hundreds of people gathered Saturday morning on beaches, in neighborhoods and along riverways to participate in the second-annual Pitch In All Santa Cruz Cleanup Day.
The event is organized by the Trash Talkers, a group of elected officials, community members, nonprofits and governmental organizations, formed with the goal of ridding the county of litter.
“I’m here because if people didn’t clean up, our county would be disgusting,” said Sam Sheridan, 10, who was gathering trash on Seabright Beach with his family.
Trash Talkers founder Sally-Christine Rogers said that 60 organizations were participating in cleanup events from Davenport to the Pajaro River, in the forests and mountains and rivers.
“Our goal is to make Santa Cruz the cleanest in the state,” she said.
Coastal Watershed Council Executive Director Laurie Egan said that the San Lorenzo River—where a group of elected officials gathered to lick off the day’s events—was once the focal point of Santa Cruz.
“…And we believe it can be again,” she said.
The cleanup day, Egan said, meshed perfectly with the Watershed Council’s mission to preserve the river’s ecosystems.
“We know, you know, I know, we all know as a community that a clean and healthy environment is the foundation for a thriving and healthy community,” she said.
Keeping riverways clean is more than just aesthetic. It also benefits the ecosystems, since it flows to the Pacific Ocean, as well as the people.
The city of Santa Cruz gets 60% of its water from the river, which is part of the largest watershed north of Los Angeles, according to the Watershed Council.
And as the city grows—as evidenced by massive housing developments in the downtown area—the county should carefully protect the natural environment as well, said Watershed Council board chair Eva Salas.
“We have turned our back to the river, but there is an opportunity to create awareness of its importance,” she said.
