Ton of trash cleared from beaches

Volunteers removed more than one and a half tons of garbage from around Monterey Bay Saturday, officials with Save Our Shores said.

About 400 volunteers combed 10 sites around the bay removing among other items 16 mattresses, six tires, a microwave and a toilet from one site alone. The effort was part of 2015’s Earth Day celebration. Save Our Shores Volunteers cleaned 4 Mile Beach, Cowell Beach, the San Lorenzo River, Twin Lakes State Beach, Soquel Creek, Beer Can Beach, Elkhorn Slough at Triple M Ranch, the Elkhorn Slough roadside, Del Monte Beach and Carmel Beach.

Volunteers said Elkhorn Slough was the dirtiest site with more than 900 pounds of garbage collected from the Triple M Ranch site. SOS program manager Rachel Kippen said in a statement that she is grateful to the volunteers who demonstrated the spirit of Earth Day.

Kippen said:

“These stewards give us hope for a brighter future for the planet.”

Save Our Shores is an ocean awareness, advocacy and action group.