SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — The Surfrider Foundation hosted a post-Independence Day cleanup effort Monday at beaches across San Diego County.
On Monday morning, which the Surfrider Foundation refers to as "the morning after," volunteers removed trash and debris left behind at county beaches by thousands of residents and visitors who flocked to the shores for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
According to the Surfrider Foundation, nearly 800 volunteers turned out in 2019 and removed a collective 3,900 pounds of trash -- including 5,930 cigarette butts -- from five beaches in a three-hour span.
"These cleanups raise awareness about how we're unintentionally trashing the beaches we love," said Mitch Silverstein, chapter manager for Surfrider Foundation San Diego. "More than anything, we'd love to see beachgoers ditch common single-use plastic picnic items like bottled water, cups, plates, utensils, etc. and replace them with reusable versions, which are much less likely to be left behind as litter."
Surfrider shared its tallies for the clean-ups Monday afternoon:
Total volunteers: More than 500
Total trash Picked Up (in pounds):
Ocean Beach Pier - 177
Ocean Beach Dog Beach (SD River Park Foundation) - 560
Belmont Park in Mission Beach (ILACSD) - no weight reported
Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach - 159
Moonlight Beach in Encinitas - 102
Oceanside Pier - 96.5
TOTAL: 1,094.5 POUNDS
The cleanup events were open to the public.
WATCH RELATED: Volunteers help clean up San Diego beaches after Fourth of July celebrations