How you could win $1,000 this Saturday by picking up litter at the beach

"In an effort to increase participation, which dropped during the COVID pandemic and has yet to fully recover, the California Coastal Commission will offer some impressive prizes hidden in small 4-inch wooden chests at cleanup sites around the state. More than 20 vouchers can be exchanged for such rewards as $1,000 in cash, two nights at the Sonoma Mission Inn and Fairmont San Francisco luxury hotels, an e-bike, San Francisco Giants tickets, an inflatable kayak, $100 gift cards, and the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at an A's game."

"We are turning it into the world's largest scavenger hunt, said Eben Schwartz, marine debris program manager at the California Coastal Commission, which oversees the event. There's a lot of excitement about it. The prizes were donated by various large corporations, including Wells Fargo, Fairmont, the San Francisco Giants, the A's, Oracle, Door Dash, Aquarium of the Pacific and others."

"The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. To sign up, go to coastalcleanupday.org The cleanup isn't just limited beaches along the ocean. Volunteers for years have cleaned up creeks, rivers, lakes, and other inland areas. For the first time, all 58 of California's counties will participate, after groups in Trinity County (population 15,000) organized a cleanup this year along the Trinity River near Weaverville, about 70 miles south of the Oregon border."

California's Coastal Cleanup Day returns for its 41st year with prize chests hidden at cleanup sites to boost volunteer turnout after pandemic-related declines. Volunteers will search small 4-inch wooden chests containing vouchers for cash, hotel stays, an e-bike, sports tickets, an inflatable kayak, gift cards, and other donated rewards. The event runs Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and includes beaches, creeks, rivers, lakes and inland areas. For the first time all 58 counties will participate, including Trinity County along the Trinity River. Since 1985 more than 1.8 million volunteers have removed over 27 million pounds of debris.

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