August — or Fogust as we like to call it around here — was a busy month. In addition to our 13 cleanup and habitat restoration events, we also participated in the annual dog surfing championship by offering cleanup support. Throughout the month, many of our dedicated volunteers were treated to majestic humpback whale sightings and eye-opening pelican dives while they searched the beaches for trash.

To close out the month, United States Representative Sam Liccardo visited our Harbor/Surfer’s Beach Cleanup in Half Moon Bay. While there, he witnessed firsthand the collective action our volunteers take for their community and the coastside.

Check out the results from some of our August 2025 events.

Rockaway Beach Cleanup

Highlights: Many high schoolers got a jump on their community service hours. Jan, our naturalist, was able to explain the Velella Velella to several people who picked up a lot of them from somewhere thinking they were plastic. She also shared information about the gray whale carcass (which is no longer too stinky) and the live humpback whales that were showing off for the volunteers throughout the morning. 

One volunteer rescued a pirate rubber ducky that may be our new mascot (Name TBD). Our Teen Site Captains Giovanni and Giordan (and their mom, Jaycelle, who is incredibly helpful herself) were a great help in setting up and helping us to sort and clean up the buckets as everyone returned with their bounty. One teen collected a ball of fishing line with number of hooks that we disentangled from the rest of the mess. Someone also found a kid’s shovel and a pair of bling-y flip-flops that had been abandoned on the beach.

• 70 volunteers
• 45 pounds of landfill trash
• 7 pounds of recyclables
• 1,761 cigarette filters

Thornton Vista Habitat Restoration & Cleanup

Highlights: It was a very successful and satisfying habitat restoration morning at Thornton Vista. With the energetic and enthusiastic help of volunteers, we expanded the areas mulched by bark to get them ready for planting later in the fall. We also watered last season’s plantings, the newly mulched areas, and the rectangular strip at the entrance to the parking area. We also spread mulch to the right of fenced-in rectangular planted demo garden.  The extra moisture will help the plants thrive for the next month without additional water.  By watering the newly mulched areas, the moisture will start the active breakdown of the bark, putting more nutrients into the soil as well as settling the bark in place. When that was finished, we collected yarrow seeds, sowing some of them today, and saving the bulk of seeds for putting out later this fall. We pulled incidental weeds before putting down a thick layer of mulch.  Also we pulled back iceplant growing into the native plantings on the center round island.

Many thanks to our partners at Daly City Parks Department who provided bark mulch, a tankful of water, and hauled away the waste, as well as the assistance of Carlo, during our morning activity.

• 10 volunteers
• 2 pounds of landfill trash
• 12 pounds of recyclables
• 900 pounds of green waste (weeds)
• 200 square feet mulched

Linda Mar Beach Cleanup

Highlights: This month’s cleanup started out like many days in the last few weeks here — soggy! After listening to Ana’s great welcome speech, our intrepid volunteers took to the beach and parking lots to fill up their buckets.

We met leaders of Sustainable San Mateo, Plastic Free Coastside, Sea Hugger, many high schools, NCL and our individual heroes. A Walk On Water, a special needs surfing group, was out there in force and offered smiles and thanks. We were serenaded with flocks of seagulls throughout, and our volunteers worked up their Taco Bell appetites.

• 38 volunteers
• 58 pounds of landfill trash
• 7 pounds of recyclables
• 305 cigarette filters

Linda Mar Habitat Restoration

Highlights: We were able to focus on some smaller sections of invasive plants along the trail, including carrot that had popped up right after the willow section. The other section was higher on the trail and way up on the hill where we removed large swathes of oxtongue that was already going to seed. Overall, it was a success day!

• 13 volunteers
• 105 pounds of green waste (weeds)

Dog Surfing Championship (Linda Mar State Beach)

• 8 volunteers
• 55 pounds of landfill trash
• 2 pounds of recyclables
• 115 cigarette filters

San Pedro Creek Cleanup

• 24 volunteers
• 45 pounds of landfill trash
• 3 pounds of recyclables
• 135 cigarette filters

Sharp Park Beach Cleanup

• 37 volunteers
• 43 pounds of landfill trash
• 10 pounds of recyclables
• 1,455 cigarette filters

Foster City Cleanup

• 44 volunteers
• 25 pounds of landfill trash
• 15 pounds of recyclables
• 10 pounds of green waste (weeds)
• 2,500 cigarette filters

Mussel Rock Beach Cleanup & Habitat Restoration

• 46 volunteers
• 72 pounds of landfill trash
• 13 pounds of recyclables
• 600 pounds of green waste (weeds)
• 100 square yards mulched
• 200 gallons of watering native plants
• 886 cigarette filters

Harbor/Surfer’s Beach Cleanup

• 76 volunteers
• 186 pounds of landfill trash
• 60 pounds of recyclables
• 1,458 cigarette filters

In September, we celebrate and take action on California Coastal Cleanup Day!

Join us for the state of California’s biggest annual cleanup event of the year on September 20, 2025. Sign up for a cleanup site ahead of time so we can bring enough supplies for everyone. See you there!