SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Independence Day may be one of the most patriotic of the year, but for local environmental groups, the day after is one of the dirtiest.
This weekend, nearly 900 volunteers hit the sand for the Surfrider Foundation San Diego’s 19th Annual “Morning After Mess” cleanup effort, clearing a staggering 2,617 pounds of trash from area beaches in just three hours.
Organizers said 866 people gathered early Saturday morning across nine coastal sites in San Diego County, collecting everything from single-use plastics to larger debris left behind by holiday revelers.
“While hopeful, it doesn’t mean the work is done,” said Joana Guerra, chapter manager of the Surfrider Foundation’s San Diego County Chapter. “We still found plenty of litter left behind.”
Among the dirtiest spots this year: Fiesta Island (751 pounds collected) and Ocean Beach Dog Beach & Estuary (700 pounds), where local partner groups like I Love A Clean San Diego and The San Diego River Park Foundation teamed up with Surfrider to restore the area.
Here’s a breakdown of the total trash collected by location:
- Fiesta Island: 751 pounds
- OB Dog Beach & Estuary: 700 pounds
- Mission Beach: 254 pounds
- Oceanside: 234 pounds
- Pacific Beach: 173 pounds
- Ocean Beach: 169 pounds
- Moonlight Beach: 135 pounds
- Seaport Village: 125 pounds
- Imperial Beach: 76 pounds
A volunteer named Archer , who helped clean Imperial Beach, said, “It’s just amazing to see that people care about the beach and come here and clean up. We get new people every time.”
Compared to 2024, this year saw a larger turnout but slightly less trash collected. Last year, 688 volunteers removed more than 3,900 pounds of mostly single-use plastics. Organizers say that could be a sign of progress—but caution that it’s too soon to celebrate.
“It’s still one of the dirtiest beach days of the year,” Guerra added. “Our ocean deserves better. And while progress is possible, we need more people to commit to real, habitual change, not just on holidays, but every day.”
The Surfrider Foundation San Diego chapter hosts regular cleanup and education events aimed at protecting the region’s coastlines. For more information or to get involved, visit www.surfridersd.org.
