Learn more about ED2012 and who to contact for more information.

FAQ's

Read below for answers to some on the most frequently asked questions

What is ED2012?

ED2012 stands for Earth Day 2012, a new program developed by the California Coastal Commission to encourage all Californians to be active in their communities and clean up where they live, work and play! Trash in California is surprisingly mobile, as an estimated 80 percent of all trash that enters the Pacific from California originates from land-based sources. Trash on our streets or in our parks, especially plastic waste, can enter storm drains or creeks and eventually flow out to the ocean. Much of the trash that is visible on city streets and around urban areas is simply potential marine debris that could harm our ocean ecosystems. By inviting Californians to clean up around inland areas, the Coastal Commission hopes to improve the conditions on beaches for the long-term.

How do I lead a cleanup?

We want to give you the tools to clean up an area in your neighborhood or near your work that needs a little extra TLC. If you have a location in mind that could use a cleanup, register that location on our website and volunteer to be the cleanup captain there. Visit the participate page for more information. We'll post your cleanup site to our map and help you spread the word about your cleanup. For a complete guide with tons of information for organizing your cleanup, download the Cleanup Toolkit.

What do I do with the trash we pick up?

What you do with the trash will depend on where your cleanup is taking place and how much you pick up. If your Cleanup is at a business or park, ask permission to use dumpsters on site. If you anticipate a large amount of trash, make a plan to get that material to a predetermined dump or other dumpster (with permission to dump); be aware that you will need directions to the dump for drivers and may need cash to dispose of material in a waste facility. If the amount is small, you can also ask your volunteers to take a bag of trash home to their own waste bin for regular weekly pickup. If you are not sure what to do, consult the land owner/manager to determine what they do with their trash and if you can leave it for their staff to pick up. For complete information on how to organize your cleanup, please download the Cleanup Toolkit.

How do I get volunteers to help me?

The best way to get the word out to volunteers is to reach out to your personal contacts. Get the word out to friends, family, coworkers, and peers via email, Facebook post, Twitter, text, phone calls, or even in person. Invite everyone you know to join you! Even small groups of people can make an enormous difference in a short period of time. Help spread the word!

Below is a long, but not exhaustive list of ways to recruit volunteers:

• Organize a group of friends, family or co-workers
• Reach out to existing contacts
• Contact college instructors in relevant classes (e.g. biology classes, ecology, environmental studies, or any in need of community service hours)
• Recruit a whole group or organization to be involved (key clubs, churches, boy scouts, surf clubs, schools)
• Spread the word on social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
• Contact your local media
• Post flyers at community colleges/churches/ community centers/around town
• Ask businesses to join you

For complete information on how to organize your cleanup, please download the Cleanup Toolkit.

How do I get the supplies needed to do a cleanup?

The goals of ED2012: Cleanup Where You Live, Work and Play is to pick up litter where it exists and to reduce waste whenever possible. So ask your volunteers to bring buckets, reusable bags, or work gloves from home, ensuring that nothing except the trash you’re picking up will become waste at the end of the day. For complete information on how to organize your cleanup, please download the Cleanup Toolkit.

How much time with this take?

The scope of your cleanup is entirely up to you. A spontaneous cleanup organized the day of (in the park across from your office building for example) can still make a huge difference! However, if you are planning to recruit volunteers, it’s a good idea to give them at least a week advanced notice to plan.

What if I don't want to lead a cleanup? Can I still participate?

If you'd like to join an existing cleanup event, visit our Cleanup Map to see a list of cleanups happening in your area. If you don't see one in your area, we encourage you to lead a cleanup by getting a few friends together and picking up trash in your community.

I’m not available during Earth Week. What other ways can I get involved?

Glad you asked. There are a multitude of ways you can get involved to help the environment, whether by volunteering at a cleanup event, reducing your plastic use, using less water, or biking or walking to work. If you’d like to participate in a cleanup event, consider volunteering at Coastal Cleanup Day on September 15, 2012. Coastal Cleanup Day is the largest volunteer cleanup in all of California and there are over 800 locations where you can help out. To learn more, visit our website To learn about other ways to help the Earth this Earth Day and all year-long, visit our Learn More page.

What is the California Coastal Commission?

The mission of the Coastal Commission is to protect, conserve, restore, and enhance environmental and human-based resources of the California coast and ocean for environmentally sustainable and prudent use by current and future generations. The California Coastal Commission was established by voter initiative in 1972 (Proposition 20) and later made permanent by the Legislature through adoption of the California Coastal Act of 1976. The Coastal Commission, in partnership with coastal cities and counties, plans and regulates the use of land and water in the coastal zone.

The California Coastal Commission's Public Education Program works to increase public knowledge of coastal and marine resources and to engage the public in coastal protection and restoration activities. We offer a variety of conservation, education and community involvement programs, including the recently launched ED21012: Cleanup Where You Live, Work, and Play campaign!