Expert Blog

California Kids "Come Together" for the Ocean

In a time of divisiveness, “Come Together” is the theme of the 24th Annual Kids Ocean Day—where thousands of kids, teachers and volunteers cleaned up the beaches of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Aerial photo courtesy of Kevin Lozaw Photography. Aerial Art coordination by Carter Brooks.
A headshot of Taryn Kiekow Heimer
Taryn Kiekow Heimer
Director, Ocean Energy, Nature

In a time of divisiveness, “Come Together” is the theme of the 24th Annual Kids Ocean Day—where thousands of kids, teachers and volunteers cleaned up the beaches of Los Angeles and San Francisco. The kids’ message for a litter-free ocean was so big it could only be seen from the sky:

More than 4,500 kids, teachers and volunteers came together on May 25, 2017 to clean Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles County. Around 1,000 kids, teachers and volunteers came together on May 17th in San Francisco to clean Ocean Beach. By joining forces to clean up the beach, the kids sent a powerful message to the world: “Come Together” to protect our oceans from the litter, plastic and trash that pollutes the environment and kills marine life.

Photo Credit: Mario Signore/Megan Goedenwaagen/KIDS OCEAN DAY

“Come Together” is a critical message delivered at a pivotal time. Today, President Trump announced that he will pull the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Climate Agreement. Yesterday, President Trump kicked off National Oceans Month (June 2017) with a proclamation that spoke more about “exploring” and “exploiting” the ocean than protecting it.

Now is the time to inspire the next generation to unify and protect our seas. A one-day cleanup event, Kids Ocean Day motivates students to care about their environment and instills in them a sense of environmental stewardship. It also raises awareness about the plight of our oceans—from prolific marine debris to endangered marine mammals, and from acidification to overfishing.

The 24th Annual Kids Ocean Day teaches us that—despite the divisiveness around us—together we can make a difference. And now, more than ever, the ocean needs a new wave of activists coming together for its protection.