Photo Courtesy: Coastal Playground

After more than 10,000 pounds of trash picked up through 67 total beach cleanups so far, Coastal Playground Owner and Founder Andrew Sneddon is far from calling it quits.

“So far in Huntington [Beach], we’ve been able to achieve some amazing results with our consistent monthly cleanups,” said Sneddon. “With three additional cleanups in Seal Beach, South Orange County and Oahu, Hawaii, we will be able to amplify our message considerably.”

Coastal Playground is an ocean-enthusiast clothing and lifestyle company who works alongside non-profit organizations such as Orange County Coastkeeper. Focused on educating the public about the importance of clean beaches and environmental sustainability, Coastal Playground donates 50 percent of their proceeds towards keeping our beaches trash-free and they want to continue the push for three more cleanups in one month.

During the team’s latest event on Saturday May 14th at Huntington Beach’s Brookhurst street, over 500 volunteers of all ages picked up about 475 pounds of trash within 1 hour and 45 minutes. The windy morning weather didn’t put a damper on anyone’s spirit as people collected trash of all shapes and sizes. Plastic debris smaller than a pencil eraser to large metal structures burrowed in the sand were dug out and added to the growing pile of trash. Between all of the volunteers, collecting litter became much like an Easter egg hunt–a good problem to have!

And let’s not forget saving a few of those Tuna Crabs in between trash-hunting at the shoreline! :)

Photo Courtesy: Coastal Playground

“With three additional monthly beach cleanups, we will not only be able to pick up three times the amount of trash, but we will also reach thousands more people with our project,” said Sneddon. “This creates an army of ocean protectors!”

As surfers, we often notice our fair share of trash on the beach or even floating out beyond the breaks. However, most of the litter seen burrowed in the sand or found by a creek bed does not come from beachgoers.

“60-80 percent of the pollution that we find on our coastal waters and beaches actually originates 40-60 miles away, so that can come from places all the way as far as Riverside all across Orange County,” said Director of Clean Up OC Julia Williams.

In addition to keeping the coast clean, Williams also holds creek cleanups, as well.

Remember that high school chem class? Pollution basically comes in all forms-from solids to liquids as well as gas. Although it is not impossible for a regular Joe or Jane to actively reduce pollutants in gas and liquid form (see ‘hybrid vehicle’), it is entirely possible that while walking to the shoreline, Joe or Jane might pick up a few items and toss them in a nearby trashcan.

Not only are solid wastes like plastic, styrofoam and aluminum foil hurting our marine life, these items also like to wear out their welcome in our natural environment. Common things like a plastic bottle take 450 years to decompose, according to the Department of Economic Security.

Give back to your local beaches and help keep them clean! For more information about how to get involved in your local Orange County Coastkeeper cleanup, click here.

Help fund Coastal Playground’s campaign to add three more monthly beach cleanups! Donate to their Indiegogo campaign.