This year, Coastal Cleanup Day is September 18^th, 2021, and several Alameda County cities are bringing back in-person cleanup events! In addition, you can also organize your own cleanup any time in September.

No matter where litter happens, it flows downstream to the coast and becomes ocean pollution. If everyone cleaned up a small area near where they live, it would make a big difference. When you protect your own favorite “happy place” you get a prettier place to live AND protect ocean wildlife too! 

Last year during Coastal Cleanup Month (September 2020), over 10,000 Californians participated in more than 3,000 self-guided cleanups across the state, gathering close to 70,000 pounds of trash from neighborhoods, local parks, creeks, or other natural spaces to which they had safe and easy access.

How to Participate

Join a Group Event

Check our list below and sign up for an event near you. You can also find a map with events all over California on the California Coastal Commission Cleanup Day site. Check back for more details soon!

Is your city not listed, or you can’t make the date? Do your own, self-guided cleanup! The litter you pick up will count toward your city’s official cleanup score if you track it with the CleanSwell app. See below for detailed instructions!

Alameda

Come out for the EBRPD Crown Beach State Park Cleanup event at Park Street and Bathhouse on Saturday, September 18, 9am-4pm. Learn more and pre-register here.

Albany

Join the City of Albany and The Watershed Project for a cleanup and educational event at Memorial Park and Ocean View Park on Saturday, September 25, 9 am-12 noon.  Space is limited to 25 participants at each site. Pre-registration required. 

Register for the Memorial Park location

Register for the Ocean View Park location

Berkeley

Come out on Saturday, September 18 to Shorebird Park at 160 Univserity Ave from 9am to noon. Learn more and pre-register here.

Castro Valley and Unincorporated Areas

Learn more and sign up for the Castro Valley Creek Trail Cleanup Day from 9am to noon on Saturday, September 18.

Dublin

Join Creek Cleanup Day events along Alamo Canal, South San Ramon Creek, and Alamo Creek Trail on Saturday, September 18, from 9am to noon. Visit the Creek Cleanup Day site for more details and to pre-register.

Emeryville

Come out for the Nora Davis Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 18. Check back for more details and a registration page soon.

Fremont

Join Coastal Cleanup Day events in Central Park and other locations on Saturday, September 18, from 9am to noon. Check back for more details and a registration page soon.

Hayward

Come out for the EBRPD Hayward Regional Shoreline Cleanup event at 3050 W. Winton Ave. on Saturday, September 18, 9am-4pm. Learn more and pre-register here.

Livermore

Join the EBRPD Del Valle Lake Cleanup event at 7000 Del Valle Road on Saturday, September 18, 9am-4pm. Learn more and pre-register here.

Oakland

Pledge to clean and green Oakland on any Saturday in September during Creek to Bay Month. Check back soon for details on events at Estuary Park/Jack London Aquatic Center, Sausal Creek, Arroyo Viejo Park and more!

You can also join the EBRPD MLK Jr. Regional Shoreline Cleanup events at Arrowhead Marsh, Tidewater Boating Center and Shoreline Center on Saturday, September 18, 9am-4pm. Learn more and pre-register here.

iHeart Oakland Estuary is also hosting an event on Saturday, September 18, 9:30 am-12:30 pm. They will have cleanup teams working “On the Water” via kayak, boat, and stand-up paddle board and "On the Land" via foot. Meet at Jack London Aquatic Center. Registration required. 

San Leandro

Join Friends of San Leandro Creek for a clean up on Saturday, October 9, 10:00 am-12:00 pm at Root Park in downtown San Leandro. For questions and to sign up, email Susan Levenson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or just show up!

Do Your Own Self-Guided Cleanup

Choose a day (or several!) in September and go out by yourself, with your family or a small group of friends and protect your happy place by picking up litter! Local parks, shores, creeks, streets, sidewalks, drainage areas, natural areas, and trails are all good choices. The Coastal Commission offers the free, CleanSwell app to track the litter you pick up and report your efforts. That way your work will be counted in statewide results!