Dirtiest Beach Day Recap: 64 Volunteers & 108 Pounds of Trash

On July 5th, we hosted our Dirtiest Beach Day of the Year cleanup. We welcomed 64 volunteers who helped to pick up 108 lbs of trash at Main Beach.

When we arrived, the beach looked relatively clean. That’s likely thanks in part to Save Our Shores, who were out the day before educating beachgoers on leave-no-trace principles—a huge help in preventing trash from hitting the sand in the first place. But despite the tidy appearance, our volunteers found a significant amount of micro-trash.

Some of the most common items collected included:

• 438 cigarette butts
• 405 microplastic fragments
• 298 plastic wrappers
• 88 plastic lids
• And more.

In our previous blog, you can read about our journey in banning cigarette butts in Santa Cruz County to learn more about the toxins they leave behind and the damage they do to our environment.

Microplastic fragments were the next most-collected item of the day. These tiny plastic pieces often get eaten by fish, birds, and even plankton, introducing pollutants and toxins into the food web—which eventually works its way up to us. Once in the ocean, they’re nearly impossible to remove and can persist for hundreds of years.

Cleanups like these aren’t just about beautifying a beach—they’re about protecting wildlife, keeping our oceans healthy, and raising awareness about the everyday items we use and discard.

We’re deeply grateful to every volunteer who gave their time and energy to this event. Special thanks to Dream Inn for keeping us fueled with coffee and donuts, and to everyone who helped spread the word and show up.

Until next time—thank you for helping protect what we love,

Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz Chapter