Cleaner California Coast, a Leave No Trace initiative, has received funding through the NOAA California Sea Grant Cultivate Awards to launch a regional study examining how visitors manage food waste across Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties. The findings will provide practical insights to help coastal land managers, waste professionals, and community partners improve visitor education and waste management strategies, supporting both healthier coastal environments and local implementation of California's SB 1383 organic waste reduction requirements.

California’s 1,100-mile coastline is home to one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth — a living testament to what it means to fight for something worth protecting. Long before California was a state, tribal communities stewarded these coastlines with profound care and wisdom, and that legacy of stewardship continues today.

MendoParks is now the Adopt-A-Beach Program Manager for Mendocino County, helping coordinate volunteer cleanups at Van Damme, Big River, Jug Handle, and Hare Creek throughout the year.

Last month, we participated in the West Marin Standing Together – Una Comunidad Unida MLK Day event in Point Reyes Station. Organized by West Marin Community Services, it brought people together to reaffirm our shared values of unity, reflection, and collective action.

Our Information Hub kiosk was recently featured in the Point Reyes Light as part of the Point Reyes Family Album’s 50-year effort to document the town as it is today.

We joined the Marin County Board of Supervisors as they unanimously adopted a Plastic Free July resolution—reaffirming Marin County’s commitment to reducing single-use plastics and supporting community solutions. We shared how the Cleaner California Coast initiative advances this mission: reaching nearly 3 million people last year, supporting 18 zero-waste events, and working with over 100 partners to build a Coastal Ethic across Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino.

We had an amazing time at Western Weekend thanks to the wonderful members of the community! Over 20 youth participated in our Main Street clean up after the parade to clean up food waste, plastic, drink containers, and much more.

Your hard work helped protect wildlife and prevent trash from reaching the ocean.

Cleaner California Coast joins Peter Asmus on Eyes Wide Open for an insightful conversation about the importance of practicing Leave No Trace while visiting the coast. The discussion explores the origins of CCC, its mission to protect Northern California’s unique shorelines, and how individuals can actively contribute to preserving coastal ecosystems. Listen to learn how simple actions can make a lasting impact.

With over 10 million visitors each year, the California coastline in Sonoma, Marin, and Mendocino counties is a favorite destination. The Cleaner California Coast Initiative is here to raise awareness of the challenges that come with such demand by promoting responsible recreation and supporting an emerging coastal ethic. Through education, advocacy, and community empowerment, our mission is to combat pollution, preserve the coastline's beauty, and engage everyone—locals and visitors alike—to help protect and steward these finite and precious natural resources.

Con más de 10 millones de visitantes cada año, la costa de California en los condados de Sonoma, Marin y Mendocino es un destino favorito. La Iniciativa Cleaner California Coast busca generar conciencia sobre los desafíos que conlleva esta gran afluencia de personas, promoviendo la recreación responsable y fomentando una ética costera emergente. A través de la educación, la incidencia y el empoderamiento comunitario, nuestra misión es combatir la contaminación, preservar la belleza de la costa e involucrar a todos—tanto a los residentes como a los visitantes—para ayudar a proteger y gestionar estos valiosos y finitos recursos naturales.