California’s Adopt-A-Beach program gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn about and actively participate in conserving coastal resources. The Adopt-A-Beach program is I Love A Clean San Diego’s most popular volunteer program. A statewide program funded by the California Coastal Commission, ILACSD coordinates over 5,000 volunteers annually through the Adopt-A-Beach (AAB) program.

The Adopt-A-Beach program is not just about trash. It’s about the need for clean oceans, shorelines, and waterways. It is about Californians acting together to create lasting solutions to marine pollution. Our oceans and waterways have been a dumping ground for man-made debris. The harmful effects of marine debris are severe and include:

• Negative economic and aesthetic impacts
• Harm and risk to human health and safety
• Injury and death to animals through entanglement and ingestion
• Habitat destruction

To better understand the types of debris commonly found at cleanups, ILACSD has added a data tracking option for groups to incorporate into their cleanups. Adopt-A-Beach program coordinators across the state have worked together to create a litter tracking card (link to data card) to identify what types of debris are most problematic regionally. The card asks for each volunteer to tally up each item they pick up to obtain a grand total of the types of trash removed from your adopted site.

By filling out these data cards, you will be contributing to a better understanding of the cause and source of litter in our communities and on our beaches in San Diego. These cards not only give us a better idea of what types of trash are most common, but they additionally can help with education, outreach, and legislation to prevent specific harmful items from ending up as marine debris.

I Love A Clean San Diego has expanded the Adopt-A-Beach program to include inland areas, in order to highlight the fact that almost 80% of marine debris originates from inland sources. By adopting a canyon or park inland, your group can prevent trash from making its way to waterways and eventually the ocean.

For a complete list of adoptable beaches and inland areas, please see Adoptable Areas.