Did you know that most of the litter washing up on our beaches comes from local sources, like rivers and streams? If you’re a Santa Cruz County resident, you can join us to take action on this issue during the Pitch In All-County Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 9th, 2026.
If you haven’t heard, Pitch In Santa Cruz County is an energized and focused effort to reduce litter and illegal dumping countywide, with a goal to make Santa Cruz County the cleanest county in California. In alignment with the Coastal Watershed Council (CWC)’s goal to preserve and protect the health of the San Lorenzo River, CWC is proud to partner with and receive support from Pitch In Santa Cruz County.
As part of Pitch In’s county-wide cleanup day, CWC will be hosting a May 9th trash cleanup along the Santa Cruz Riverwalk to support a cleaner San Lorenzo River. Join us! More details about registration can be found here.
Supported by Senator John Laird and endorsed by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, Pitch In Santa Cruz County aspires to improve the health, well-being, economic value and the beauty of our region by eliminating litter, abandoned encampments, and dumping on roadways, waterways and agricultural land by educating and engaging community, non-profits, schools, and local governments.
In collaboration with Pitch In Santa Cruz County, CWC’s Watershed Rangers environmental education program has doubled down on highlighting the importance of reducing litter. As seen in student journals, action project clean-ups, discussions, and opportunities for reflection, Watershed Rangers students learn that city streets, parking lots, and school campuses are all connected to local waterways via storm drains. By keeping our city clean, there is less trash entering the San Lorenzo River. By picking up litter, we protect San Lorenzo River plants and wildlife, support cleaner beaches, and have a more beautiful city! Since the start of the 2025/26 school year, nearly 200 Watershed Rangers students have learned about the Pitch In initiative and taken part in projects that support a cleaner San Lorenzo River and County of Santa Cruz. Check out this video to see Pitch In Watershed Rangers in action!
Watershed Rangers students celebrate how much litter they cleaned up on their action project day!
Pitch In Santa Cruz County is well represented in Watershed Rangers student journals
By donating to the Coastal Watershed Council or participating in the May 9th Pitch In All-Santa Cruz County Cleanup Day, you can breathe easy knowing that you are part of the solution. Thank you for your commitment to helping make Santa Cruz County the cleanest county in California!
