Two years ago, Stefanie Matthews was simply a concerned member of the community—and that concern was the trash that was lining up along the beaches of Long Beach via the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers. These two water sources empty trash into Long Beach’s waters, which is then collected inside the breakwater and drifts back up onto our shores.
So on August 14, 2010, she decided to do something about it.
Registering with the state-sponsored Adopt-a-Beach program, Stefanie started her first beach clean-up under the moniker of CleanLB. Holding these clean-ups every second Saturday of the month at either the beachfront parking lot at Junipero Avenue or the Downtown beach area near Alamitos Avenue and Shoreline Drive, her organization has collected nearly 5,000 pounds of trash along the 1.5 mile stretch they cover.
Her approach and philosophy is as simple as her concern.
“CleanLB is dedicated to bringing awareness to the trash problem in Long Beach,” Matthews said. “And in order to do that, we need the community. So we bring volunteers together to create solutions to the problem.”
This Saturday from 10AM to 1PM, Stefanie and her cohort of volunteers will celebrate CleanLB’s 2-year anniversary by doing what they do best: cleaning.
As to where she sees the future of CleanLB, Matthews said, “Of course I want increased volunteer participation. But I also want it to be a permanent part of Long Beach’s communal life. I want nothing short than the ability to help other concerned communities start their own similar organizations and events that can bring awareness to the environmental issues that affect us all.”
The meeting will occur at the beachfront parking lot at Junipero Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. The clean-up will be followed with a party featuring eco-friendly drinks and fresh fruit from WholeFoods Market along with Jones Bicycles offering a free Jones Check! Safety kit to keep your bike safe while you clean.