Help Tidy Our Beaches on California Coastal Cleanup Day

The golden time that arrives just before fall begins?

Call it the autumn exhale, or summer's concluding pause, or the moment when we settle down between the seasons and take stock.

Many nature lovers use this special stretch to spiffy up a favorite place, especially those much-loved destinations that see plenty of visitors during the warmer months.

Take Yosemite, where the Yosemite Facelift, the annual multi-day push to de-litter Yosemite Valley, will begin on the last day of summer this year.

But there are other "facelifts" happening in wilder and wonderful environments around the Golden State just ahead of the start of fall, including California Coastal Cleanup Day, which will take happen hither, yon, and beyond, on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Now what exactly do we mean by "hither, yon, and beyond"?

This large-scale volunteer effort, which is helmed by the California Coastal Commission, doesn't simply pop by a busy beach or two and call it a quick day.

Rather, dozens and dozens (and dozens) of dedicated volunteers fan out across the state, all to give a beloved riverbank or playa-pretty place a litter-free breather after the hectic summer season.

How to begin?

You can find information on this site, including where the 2022 cleanups will take place, or you can dedicate time to picking up a favorite bit of shoreline or beautiful bluff on your own at any point during the month.

Heal the Bay will play a major give-back role on Sept. 17, and several other ocean-minded groups will be calling upon Southern California sites.

You'll want to know what to bring, what might be provided, and all of the details about the morningtime event, or how you can keep the spiffy-up magic going throughout September.

Donations to this important event are also welcome, and the Adopt-a-Beach program is also worth a look and your time.