Pickup artists ready

Thousands of volunteers around the state will take part Saturday in

the largest cleanup day of the year, the 21st annual California

Coastal Cleanup.

Locally, hundreds of volunteers are expected to pick up debris and

trash from Newport-Mesa parks and beaches.

“It’s a great opportunity -- not just to pick up trash -- but to

let people know what they’re picking up and why they’re picking it

up,” said Ray Halowski, vice president of the Newport Beach chapter

of the Surfrider Foundation.

Halowski said although beach cleanups are important, people should

understand it doesn’t mean they’re off the hook for the rest of the

year and that everything put on the ground eventually makes its way

into the ocean.

“It’s something you need to be conscious of every moment of every

day,” Halowski said.

Stephanie Barger, executive director of the Earth Resource

Foundation, said the cleanup effort is not limited to California, as

this year marks the 20th International Coastal Cleanup Day.

She added that educating the public to change consumer habits so

cleanups are not necessary is even more important than the act of

cleaning the beaches and parks.

“We’ve got to decrease our consumption of disposable goods,” she

said.

Barger said Earth Resource Foundation is focusing its cleanup

efforts at the parks and along the Santa Ana River.

“It doesn’t do us any good to just pick up the trash at the beach

because a lot of it has already made it in the ocean,” she said.

Halowski said he will be volunteering at Big Corona -- his

favorite beach -- and Crystal Cove. He also said he will make himself

available if members of the California Coastal Commission need help

managing volunteers.

Joanette Willert, an Orange County park ranger, said the Upper

Newport Bay cleanup will start at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the

Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center. Exhibitors will be on hand

on to educate and promote environmental awareness.

Once the trash is collected by more than 1,500 volunteers from six

different locations, a barbecue will be held at the center, and all

participants will receive a free T-shirt.

A prize will be given for the most interesting item collected --

last year’s prize went to the volunteer who found someone’s discarded

divorce papers on the beach.

Willert said volunteers have collected between 32,000 and 40,000

pounds of trash in past years during the annual cleanup at the Back

Bay.

IF YOU GO

Here are a few places volunteers can go to help with Saturday’s

cleanup:

* Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Nature Preserve --

Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 2301 University Drive,

Newport Beach; registration begins at 8 a.m. Information: (949)

923-2295. All materials will be provided

* Vista Park -- Pacific Avenue and Victoria, Costa Mesa -- signs

and banners will be posted; the event begins at 9 a.m. Information:

(949) 645-5163 or o7www.earthresource.orgf7; Bring gloves, sturdy

shoes, sunscreen, snacks, a sports water bottle and a hat.

* Victoria Pond and Sheephill -- meet at the end of 19th Street

where it turns into Balboa, Newport Beach/Costa Mesa -- signs and

banners will be posted; the event begins at 9 a.m. Information: (949)

645-5163 or o7www.earthresource.orgf7; Bring gloves, sturdy shoes,

sunscreen, snacks, a sports water bottle and a hat.

* Crystal Cove State Park -- Two locations: Reef Point: Coast

Highway and Reef Point; and Pelican Point: Coast Highway and Newport

Coast Drive, Newport Beach; the event begins at 9 a.m. Information:

(949) 497-7647. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat.

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at

(714) 966-4625 or by e-mail at o7lindsay.sandham@latimes.comf7.