The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) has five upcoming creek cleanups in Goleta this fall. The EDC is a nonprofit law firm that has been working for more than 40 years on behalf of non-profit clients to protect clean water, clean air, and a clean environment, and to promote the health of our community.

Goleta’s creeks are vital wildlife habitats supporting rare species such as the southern California steelhead trout. Our creeks also provide clean drinking water which infiltrates into Goleta’s groundwater basins. Many of Goleta’s parks, trails, and bike paths occur along local streams making these areas important for recreation. Creeks provide local students and residents with opportunities to get out in nature and learn about the environment.

EDC creek clean-up volunteers will remove over one ton of litter which has accumulated in Goleta’s streams before winter rains wash it out to the Goleta Slough and Pacific Ocean. Last year, over 100 volunteers and partners, including City of Goleta, Santa Barbara County, and Urban Creeks Council, removed 4,748 pounds of trash from Goleta’s creeks!

This year’s upcoming creek cleanup schedule is from 10am – 12pm on the following dates:

• September 7  – Glen Annie Creek
• September 14 (United Way Day of Caring) – San Pedro Creek
• September 28 (Creek Week) – San Jose Creek
• October 5 – Maria Ygnacio Creek
• October 26 – Atascadero Creek

For more information and to RSVP for EDC‘s creek cleanups, please visit www.EnvironmentalDefenseCenter.org, call the EDC at 805-963-1622, or email Brian Trautwein, EDC Environmental Analyst/Watershed Program Coordinator, at btrautwein@environmentaldefensecenter.org.