California Coastal Commission. Public Education Programs and Contests

About Us

Programs & Contests

Coastal Cleanup Day

Adopt-A-Beach

Coastweeks

Boating Clean & Green

WHALE TAIL^SM License Plate

Coastal Stewardship

Pledge

Community-Based

Habitat Restoration

Coastal Careers

Event Calendars

Coastal Government Links

California Coastal Cleanup Day takes place every year on the third Saturday in September. Associated with Coastal Cleanup Day is COASTWEEKS, an annual three-week celebration of our coastal and water resources, which includes activities such as nature walks, festivals, restoration events, and more.

Adopt-A-Beach is our year-round, statewide beach cleanup program. Any group, public or private, can volunteer to clean any of our adoptable beaches. See "aerial art" photos from the Ocean Day Kids' Beach Cleanup.

The Boating Clean & Green Campaign educates boaters around the state on environmentally sound boating practices.

The Coastal Stewardship Pledge is a way for Californians of all ages to commit to protecting our coast and ocean. You may choose from a wide-ranging list of suggestions on how to protect the coast, and then pledge to follow through and complete your chosen actions. In the process, you become a “Coastal Steward” and are rewarded with a certificate and a free gift.

The Coastal Art and Poetry Contest is open to all California students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and is a chance for students to explore coastal themes and present them creatively. By encouraging youth to reflect on the beauty and spirit of California's beaches and ocean, we hope to inspire a greater sense of stewardship for these natural places. The postmark deadline for entering the contest is January 31. See the winning entries from the 2008 contest.

A portion of 'Shimmering Bird', by Louca Bournemann, Grade 5, 2004

The 2008 Amateur Coastal Photography Contest winning entries have been chosen. See the 2008 winning entries!

The WHALE TAIL^SM Grants program distributes funds from sales of the WHALE TAIL^SM License Plate. The WHALE TAIL^SM grants support programs that teach California’s children and the general public to value and take responsibility for the health of the state’s marine and coastal resources. We are now accepting applications for the 2008/2009 program.
Coastal Restoration The Coastal Commission's Community-Based Restoration and Education Program includes an extensive volunteer restoration program at Upper Newport Bay, a guidebook to community restoration, and a high school activity guide on wetlands.