ocean cleanup – Flows to Bay

Neil Panton began picking up litter around his home in the late 80s. While he initially focused on clearing away large pieces of trash and car parts that littered the road, he was eventually drawn to a smaller but very pervasive type of litter—cigarette butts.

“I’m sure most motorists or passers-by wouldn’t notice them,” Neil observed. But as someone who enjoys slowing down to take walks in the outdoors, Neil tends to notice these often overlooked bits of trash. “I’m…aware of how long [cigarette butts] last in the environment and the hazards they pose to many critters,” he said. Cigarette butts can take up to 10 years to decompose in the environment and they make up 34% of the total collected litter in California.

“There’s an immediacy to doing cleanup work, right down to the smallest cigarette butt. You can see the results of your efforts right away. I take morning walks, and about every third or fourth day I’ll take a small bag and picker-upper with me. The other days I get to enjoy a litter-free environment.“
Neil Panton

Engaging and inspiring the community

*Photo of San Gregorio State Beach by the* *San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center*

After moving to San Gregorio, Neil continued to clean up trash and cigarette butts in his community and also engaged his neighbors in the effort.

Through the Adopt-A-Highway program, Neil adopted two stretches of highway and became responsible for trash removal and vegetation control along a total of eight miles of highway. In 2016, he formed a group of volunteers to help remove invasive grasses along these highways in the San Gregorio watershed while also picking up litter. “There is no shortage of cigarette butts and tobacco products along the highway,” he found.

Neil also got involved with the San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center (SGERC), a local non-profit whose mission is to preserve and protect habitat for endangered species of the Santa Cruz Mountains bioregion. He engaged SGERC members in picking up cigarette butts around their homes and currently helps educate his community about litter prevention through information booths at community events.

How many butts get chucked?

With the approach of Coastal Cleanup Day this year and the focus on quantifying how much trash we keep out of our waterways, Neil became curious about just how many cigarette butts he collects. He began to count the butts and found that about 1,335 butts fit in a 1-gallon water jug (in case you were curious). Since he started counting, he’s filled one jug and has started filling another.

Through the Pacific Beach Coalition, Neil sends the collected cigarette butts to Terracycle, a company that recycles cigarette filters into products such as decking, plastic shipping pallets, and storage containers.

In addition to the direct impact that Neil and his volunteers have by keeping cigarette butts out of our waterways, Neil has also inspired his neighbors to be more mindful of litter. “I think my neighbors see me cleaning up and make an effort to keep their property front clean too. Friends and neighbors pass me on the highway and honk and wave. I think they’re appreciative of the effort,” said Neil.

“I…believe in the power of everyone doing a small part, and together we have a large impact. It’s too easy to say that others will do it, it’s not our job, but if you want to be a part of your community, this is a great way to do it.”
Neil Panton

Learn more and get involved!

If Neil’s efforts have inspired you, here are some ways you can get involved in keeping our waterways clean of cigarette butts and other litter:

Organize your own neighborhood cleanup event with our self-guided cleanup tips!
Learn how to get involved with the San Gregorio Environmental Resource Center. In addition to picking up litter, they monitor water quality in the San Gregorio watershed.
Learn how to get involved with the Pacific Beach Coalition’s Cigarette Butt Litter Campaign.

Do you know any other inspirational environmental leaders in your community? We’d love to hear about them! Nominate them here.

In 1999, surfers in San Mateo County saw their beloved beaches threatened by environmental pollution and degradation. They took action and came together to form a local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Surfrider San Mateo County (Surfrider SMC), which engages the community in protecting our oceans and advocates for solutions.

Now, 22 years later, the organization includes “local surfers, paddle boarders, kayakers, marine biologists tide-poolers, and basically people who love the ocean,” says Britt Bensen, Vice Chair of Surfrider SMC. The organization is one of more than 80 Surfrider Foundation chapters across the country, which form a network of over 1 million supporters and volunteers.

“Surfrider SMC is an all-volunteer group committed to protecting the more than 50 miles of San Mateo County coastline in between San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties.”
— Britt Bensen

Surfrider SMC protects our oceans in many ways: through youth education, monitoring water pollution, partnering with local businesses to reduce single-use plastics, and engaging the public in beach cleanups. Through their organized beach cleanups, they have kept thousands of pounds of trash out of the ocean.

Protecting the ocean isn’t just about the environment—it’s also about people. Surfrider SMC sees access to safe and clean beaches as an equity issue. “We have learned the incredible value of open, outdoor space with COVID and the unfortunate wildfires and the corresponding smoke over recent years,” says Bensen. “We hope our efforts have made our coastline accessible to all.”

Blue Water Task Force

Just one of Surfrider SMC’s many programs is the Blue Water Task Force. They measure bacteria levels at beaches and in coastal creeks, then compare them to federal water quality standards. This allows them to alert the public of any health risks and to raise awareness about water pollution issues.

“We currently test 6 sites along the Pacific Ocean every week and publish results on our social media accounts,” says Bensen.

If you are interested in getting involved the Blue Task Force, attend the next Surfrider SMC chapter meeting or social.

Coastal Cleanup Day and How to Help

One way that you can get involved and help Surfrider SMC keep pollution out of our waterways and ocean is to get involved in Coastal Cleanup Day. On Saturday, September 18 from 9:00 a.m. to noon this year, you can join a global community of people helping to keep trash out of the ocean.

Here in San Mateo County, there are over 50 cleanup events to join. Surfrider SMC is holding a beach cleanup for Coastal Cleanup Day at Poplar Beach from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on September 18.

For more information and any updates, please visit Surfrider San Mateo’s website.

Other Ways to Get Involved

“As we’re all volunteers, we’re 100% dependent on neighbors all over San Mateo County dedicating whatever time they have to our programs and campaigns.”
— Britt Bensen

Apart from Coastal Cleanup Day, there are many ways to get involved with Surfrider SMC throughout the year.

Beach Cleanups: Visit Surfrider SMC’s event calendar to find additional beach cleanups to join throughout the year.
Take On a Volunteer Role: If you want to get more involved, you can take on a leadership or support position in event planning, communications, volunteer recruitment, and more. Contact chair@smc.surfrider.org if you’re interested!
Follow: You can stay up to date with Surfrider SMC by following them on Facebook or Instagram @surfridersanmateo. You can also email communications@smc.surfrider.org to be added to their newsletter mailing list.
Listen: Listen to Surfrider California’s podcast “Protect & Enjoy” on your preferred podcast platform.

Whether it’s the seafood we eat, the oxygen we breathe, or the joy we find in spending a day at the beach, everyone depends on the ocean in one way or another. However, the ocean needs our help. Our reefs are struggling, fish populations are declining, and most pertinently: plastic pollution is pervasive.

Shell Cleave, founder of Sea Hugger, saw these issues firsthand and noted, “someone had to do something.”

Driven by deep rooted care and concern for the health of our waters, Shell got to work and created Sea Hugger in 2018 with the mission “to reduce our dependence on single-use plastic and to prevent marine plastic pollution,” says Shell. Since its beginnings, Sea Hugger has developed into an innovative nonprofit that places its efforts far beyond band aid-like solutions. Sea Hugger is reducing the amount of plastic in our ocean, empowering communities to engage in marine-conscious practices, inspiring future generations, and ultimately ensuring the health of our waters for years to come through action and education.

Sea Hugger actively reduces plastic in our ocean by sponsoring local community beach clean ups and encouraging people to clean up wherever they are. The nonprofit also has a “Roomba for the ocean” known as the Seabin, which is an aquatic robot in Half Moon Bay that utilizes self-sufficient mechanics to capture plastic, microplastic, and marine oil. In a mere three months (January – March 2021), the Seabin collected 17 plastic pellets, 492 pieces of plastic, 699 polystyrene pieces, and 74 cigarette butts!

Shown in photo:  The Seabin draws water into the bin, capturing microplastic, macroplastic, and marine oil in its fine mesh bag. It captures up to eight pounds of material at a time, and is emptied regularly.

Through their work, Sea Hugger has effectively achieved:

(2019-2020 Data)

However, Sea Hugger goes above and beyond plastic pollution cleanup. They acknowledge the need to address the root of our plastic pollution problem and drive systemic change. The organization thus works to prevent ocean pollution before it even gets into our waters by helping people “break their reliance on plastic by creating awareness and promoting alternatives, upcycling ideas, and reuse tips.” One can find wonderful plastic-free products right on their website, making it easy and appealing to make the switch to zero waste alternatives. Sea Hugger also works to mitigate our plastic usage on a larger scale by promoting bills such as the Plastic Free Bill and mobilizing the effort to bring back reusables to grocery stores.

Furthermore, Sea Hugger not only advocates for the wellbeing of ocean life, but also helps our communities on land.

“In response to COVID, we started an outdoor education camp to help families who were struggling with school closures and distance learning. It has been so successful that we are continuing it for Summer and after-school next year.”
-Shell Cleave

These outdoor education programs help instill longstanding care for our ocean, while providing the youth with a fun and engaging experience away from screens. Through these programs, Sea Hugger is helping students cultivate ocean-conscious habits to carry with them and pass along to friends, family, and future generations. As Shell noted: “We often have parents who tell us their kids have helped them swap out their throw-away items for reusable items, reminded them to skip things they don’t need like lids and straws, and have become anti-litter bugs! This is music to our ears!”

How Can I Get On Board with Sea Hugger?

Try out a DIY Beach Clean Up
Shop the online store for products that minimize your footprint
Volunteer (Locations: Oahu, Half Moon Bay, and Imperial Beach)
Follow on Instagram or Facebook for updates on conservation events, simple tips, and friendly reminders to get outside!
Sign up for the newsletter for ideas on how to decrease your footprint and for more information on how to get involved