Not waiting for special days, Tidy Seas is out regularly cleaning up waterfront areas

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - They could have waited for a special clean up day, or an Earth Day event or some other annual marker on the calendar, but Tidy Seas volunteers have formed to be a more visible and consistent clean up team.

The non profit just came together but Ryan Wong, the Tidy Seas Founder, said he has been actively cleaning beach, waterfront and ocean areas for a few years.

"So our plan is to be a more boots on the ground organization.  People tell us where the trash is and we go and pick it up.  That's our main focus," said Wong.

Recently they organized a group with a new business in downtown Santa Barbara, Ventura Apparel Co., to specifically clean up the downtown area, knowing trash there can get to the ocean. The event was open to the public and included prizes.

This week, they were following up on the Memorial Day holiday and found many bags of trash and leftovers on Leadbetter Beach. They have other plans including another big one after the 4th of July.

Those who show up get a logo bag, a picker or grabber stick and some gloves if they need them. Some go right to the beach, others to the parking lot, and others to the landscaping. All came back with a haul.

This week the finds included random papers and wrappers, but also toys, parts of tents, an orange emergency cone and a $5 bill.

"I'm a local too so it feels good to be back in the community where I was born and raised and clean up the beaches," said Amal Harris.

Wong says recently they went out with the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara. "We have been getting a lot of lobster traps probably 15-thousand pounds of lobster traps and other trash in the last three months."

Some of the volunteers are kids joining their parents. "I think it is really important and it is really cool to see because kids get really excited just  like adults, 'oh look what I found' and you find a lot of cool stuff and a lot of people  come to clean ups and say 'wow that was really fun!'"

For more information go to : Tidy Seas