On Sept. 21, two Dixon residents walk far into the bushes and grass to pick up a plastic bag filled with trash on Coastal Cleanup Day. Photo courtesy of the City of Dixon

DIXON, CA (MPG) - A black plastic garbage bag dropped far into Pond C land was an eye-sore and a detriment to the environment until a resident picked it up.

The 40th anniversary of Coastal Cleanup Day, a massive statewide event, amped up residents to tidy up on Sept. 21, when up to 1,420 Solano County volunteers collected and disposed of 22,963 pounds of trash and another 1,706 pounds of recyclables and beverage containers.

“This was an increase of more than 200 additional volunteers county-wide compared to last year,” Madeline Graf, Dixon public information officer, said of the event at Pond C. “We had volunteers of all ages and many families came out to help with the cleanup effort.”

Dixon is one of 48 sites in Solano County that “account for an impressive 5% of the just over 1,000 cleanup locations throughout the state and are found in creeks, marshes, and open spaces in every city,” according to the Solano Resource Conservation District (Solano RCD).

Dixon Junior Engineer Leland Markusen said Dixon partners with the district and Cleanup Solano on events throughout the year, including Coastal Cleanup and Earth Day.

“We partner with Solano RCD on a variety of projects that restore our natural resources,” Markusen said.

Coastal Cleanup Day is funded by the cities and Solano Count and coordinated by Solano Resource Conservation District. The county event coordinator said she was pleased to see so many residents who care about the health of local watersheds out on Sept. 21.

“These waterways are all connected to each other and to the oceans, so we have a great opportunity to step in and intercept trash and pollutants before they flow from Solano and points further inland to the sea,” Stephanie Stock said.

Graf said Coastal Cleanup plays a crucial role in protecting marine ecosystems by removing tons of debris and pollutants that can harm wildlife and disrupt natural habitats, ensuring the preservation of biodiversity along the coastline.

“This event raises public awareness about the environmental impact of littering and pollution and fosters a sense of community and environmental stewardship, bringing together volunteers to collaborate on a common goal,” Graf said.

The California Coastal Commission, which governs statewide events including Solano County and Dixon, keeps the day going, offering gratis chips and guac from Rubio’s if volunteers fill out a survey.

Survey participation also provides the chance to enter a drawing for a $250 VISA gift card and other fabulous prizes on the commission’s website.

Graf pointed out that Dixon residents get their hands dirty other days of the year to help.

“Solano Resource Conservation District does host other clean-up days throughout the year, including on Earth Day,” Graf said of the April 2025 event. “Residents can visit cleanupsolano.org or the city’s social media accounts to stay up to date on volunteer clean-up days.”

Graf said Dixon’s Pond C cleanup would not have been as successful without the Solano Resource Conservation District.

“Volunteers throughout the county partnered to collect over 22,963 pounds of trash and make our community cleaner and safer,” Graf said.