Fresno
Chaffee Zoo organized the event and gave presentations to the youth in
their schools prior to the cleanup event. Kids’
Ocean Day, leading up to World Oceans Day on June 8th, is being organized
statewide by the California Coastal Commission.
The Monterey event is part of the 20th Annual Kids’
Adopt-a-Beach Cleanup, a series of Kids’ Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Cleanups at
six beaches up and down the California coast.
The
event for Fresno students involved removing litter from the beach.
Beach Clean-up:
Plastics
Bags 34
Bottles 25
Caps, Lids, Cups 138
Forks, Spoons, Straws 49
6-pack holders 9
Other Plastics 668
Styrofoam 131
Cigarette Butts 1775
Metal 99
Rubber 53
Paper 390
Wood 116
Cloth 25
Glass 285
Fishing/Boating items 23
Other 344
Grand Total: 4,164 pieces of trash and debris!
Fresno’s
Chaffee Zoo runs the program locally by giving presentations at the school
site and organized the May 22nd event. “This beach clean-up offers
our Fresno students an opportunity to participate in a hands-on activity which
fundamentally illustrates how the decisions they make can have a positive
impact our Pacific Coast, and how we can make a difference” said Adrienne
Castro, Director of Education, Fresno Chaffee Zoo.”
“These
children are reminding us of something very important,” said Mary
Shallenberger, Chair of the California Coastal Commission. “The ocean is being
stressed by human impacts and is changing rapidly. If we take a moment to
listen to the ocean, as these children are doing, we would know that this our
time to act to save the ocean – to follow the great example of these children
and live in a way that is respectful of our magnificent water planet.” The Coastal Commission coordinates the
program statewide and provides financial support from the Whale Tail License
Plate Fund.
The Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education and the California Coastal Commission started the annual event in Los Angeles in 1994. With funding from the Whale Tail License Plate, this program expanded to serving Central Valley children in 2001. The program focuses on reaching children in underserved and inland schools. Prior to the cleanup, the program includes a school presentation providing information about the importance of the ocean and how the students’ actions affect it.
The California Coastal Commission is the statewide coordinator of the Kids’ Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Cleanup, the year-round Adopt-A-Beach program, and Coastal Cleanup Day. All of these programs are funded by the generous support of the Whale Tail License Plate Fund. Over 213,000 plates have been sold since 1996, raising more than $20 million dollars for marine education and protection. For more information about the California Coastal Commission’s programs and how to buy a Whale Tail Plate, call (800) COAST-4U or visit www.coastforyou.org.
