Volunteers remove tons of trash from waterways

Community cleanups removed substantial waste from waterways in several regions. In Ramona, California, 14 volunteers hauled more than 6,000 pounds of household and other debris from Santa Maria Creek, while also building interest in a proposed community greenway. A coordinated operation along Bakersfield’s Kern River removed about 13 tons of trash from four illegal dumping sites, identified 17 encampments and offered outreach to 19 people experiencing homelessness; three people were arrested. In Spain’s Murcia region, divers and volunteers collected 95 kilograms of rubbish from beaches and the seabed, while a national coastal campaign removed more than 8.3 tonnes. More than 200 volunteers in Mandurah, Australia, collected over 525 kilograms from waterways during an annual cleanup honoring a dolphin calf that died after becoming entangled in fishing line. In South Texas, volunteers reportedly removed more than 6,500 pounds of trash from the Arroyo Colorado.