Every third week of Sept. each year, volunteers statewide spend three hours cleaning up beaches, waterways, and lakes. This event is part of the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by the Ocean Conservancy, the largest volunteer event on the planet.

Sophomore Jasmine Davidson said, “The once a year plan is good because you could get volunteer burnout if it was more often.”

This year is the 29 annual cleanup arranged by the Ocean Conservancy. Last year, 65,000 volunteers statewide removed 770,000 pounds of trash.

Daily activities such as not properly throwing away your trash or throwing a cigarette bud on the ground harms the coast. When it rains, leftover trash is carried to the storm drain. All storm drains lead to the nearest waterway, and waterways connect to the ocean.

Boaters dumping trash into the ocean and beach-goers leaving debris also contributes to our beach’s pollution.

Leftover trash hurts both marine life and humans. Animals get tangled creating immobility and a struggle to eat or some eat the debris killing them. Dirty beaches puts beach-goers in jeopardy of stepping on glass or metal and finding a cigarette in the sand is just purely disgusting.

Davidson said, “I do see a lot of trash at the beach.” Other beaches are cleaner than the others due to “the nice people who pick up trash.”

This Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. many locations could use your help and drop ins are welcomed. Belmont’s waterdog lake has a cleanup, with volunteers meeting at in front of city hall at nine. Only three hours of work could make a difference

Waterdog Lake is a key trail to the Carlmont Cross Country Teams. Boy’s Cross Country member Justin Tsuchiyama said, “I normally do not see too much trash there, but there is litter there.”

Waterdog’s cleanup is not only  beneficial to Carlmont’s sports, but also to the Belmont Community.

Beaches in Halfmoon Bay are also seeking volunteers to help at Dunes Beach, Francis State Beach, Pilarcitos Creek, and  Poplar Beach.

Spending at least one hour at the cleanup this weekend can create happier community, cleaner waterways, and save lives of marine creatures.

California Coastal Cleanup Day is Sept. 21 at multiple locations near Carlmont.

For more information on cleanup locations, visit http://www.flowstobay.org/ccdlocations.