I just returned from my annual High Sierra backpacking adventure. Our group, affectionately dubbed the Granite Ramblers, consists of eight women ranging from 49 to 71 years of age. We started at Carson Pass, hiking through mountain meadows covered with a billion wild flowers, along streams, lakes and over passes. We walked on the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail as well as crossing a couple of 4-wheel drive roads. Along the way we were quite pleased with the absence of human trash until we reached Wet Meadows Reservoir. On our fifth day away from civilization, we found several plastic bags, a Gatorade bottle, a soda can and, down by the outlet stream, a deflated helium party balloon. I wish people and businesses who use balloons would keep them inside as I find them every year in the high country.

Back here at sea level, it is time to participate in our annual Coastal Cleanup event. Mark Saturday, September 16 on your calendar and get out your work clothes and old shoes to join us for a three-hour cleanup.The California Coastal Commission reminds us that marine debris does harm wildlife. Common items such as fishing line, strapping bands and six-pack rings can hamper the mobility of marine animals. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing or swimming, all of which can be fatal.

Plastic debris is often mistaken for food and quickly fills animals' stomachs giving them a false feeling of being full. They often die of starvation. Gray whales have been found dead with plastic bags and sheeting in their stomachs. Almost 90 percent of floating marine debris is plastic that takes hundreds of years to break down and continues to trap and kill animals year after year.

In 2005, 336 Vallejo volunteers collected 1015 pounds of recyclables and 2560 pounds of trash from 18 miles of Vallejo's waterways. In addition 14.5 tons of scrap wood were picked up at Lemon and Derr Streets along the banks of the Mare Island Strait. Jennifer Kaiser, the Community Outreach Specialist from Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District; VALCORE President Genie Kaggerud and manager Jackie Giffin inspected potential sites for the 2006 Coastal Cleanup.

I know we don't have "coasts" in Vallejo, but Vallejo is an important watershed. Every little bit of trash that is dropped on the street can easily find its way down our storm drains that flow into the Napa River on its way to the San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Pacific Ocean. This year's sites include Blue Rock Springs/Lake Frisbee, Hanns Park, Dan Foley/Lake Chabot, River Park, Glen Cove Waterfront Park, Glen Cove Marina, White Slough behind VALUE Center, Enterprise North to White Slough, Sacramento St. to White Slough, Lemon & Derr Street, Fairgrounds Drive between Coach and Six Flags, and Catalina Circle at Meadows.

Adults interested in signing on as beach captains should contact any of the coordinators listed below. If you are under the age of 18, you will need to get a parent or guardian to sign a waiver before participating. Cleanup supplies will be provided, but volunteers should wear sun screen, sturdy shoes, a hat, and gloves. When you check in at the cleanup location, you will be given trash bags, latex gloves, and a data card to tally collected items.

VALLEJO
Volunteers should come to the open field near the Vallejo Municipal Marina located at 42 Harbor Way at 8:30 a.m. where they will be assigned to a cleanup site. For early site registration, contact VALCORE at 707 55-EARTH (553-2784) or cleanup@VALCORErecycling.org. You can also contact Jennifer Kaiser at 707 644-8949 x 292 or jkaiser@vsfcd.com.

BENICIA
Volunteers can show up at 9 am at the following sites: Bottom of East Fifth, West H at West Third Cove, West 12th Street Beach, foot of First Street, West Ninth Street Beach, Lake Herman at Sulfur Springs Creek, and Bordoni Public Access at West Sixth and I street. Also Benicia State recreation Area (BSRA ) at Dillion Point (enter at Columbus Parkway exit) and BSRA at the Military West exit. BSRA parking fees waivered for this event. There will be a special non-native weed removal at the entrance of (West K at Military). Bring heavy gloves and tools to dig out weeds. For information contact Sue Wickham at 747-5815 or swgeo@sbcglobal.net.

Vallejo and Benicia will end their cleanups with lunch for their volunteers.

For other Solano County cleanups, log onto www.recycle-guide.com or use these contacts

FAIRFIELD / SUISUN CITY / TRAVIS AFB: 707 429-8930 or dontpollute@fssd.com.
RIO VISTA / Delta Protection Commission: 916 776-2290 or loridpc@citlink.net
VACAVILLE: Fern Wilson at 707 469-6400 or fwilson@cityofvacaville.com.
LAKE SOLANO PARK: 530 795-2990 or ttarver@solanocounty.com.
DAVIS / WINTERS in Yolo County: 530 795-3006, coordinator@putahcreekcouncil.org.

Our local cleanups are sponsored by the cities and county of Solano and Yolo, California Coastal Commission, VALCORE Recycling, Vallejo Garbage Service, Solano Garbage Service, Pleasant Hill Bayshore Disposal, Vacaville Sanitary Service, Vallejo Sanitation & Flood Control District, Fairfield/Suisun Sanitary District, Putah Creek Council, and the Watershed Stewardship Project funded by CALFED Bay Delta Program.

Log onto www.coastal.ca.gov for information about cleanups all over California or to Adopt a Beach. You can also call (800) COAST-4U or email coast4u@coastal.ca.gov.