SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) — What a beautiful day to enjoy the beach and hundreds of students are turning the shore into a massive cleanup project, picking up trash with help from I Love A Clean San Diego.
More than 700 students from several local schools were cleaning up Mission Beach with volunteers Thursday.
They started early at 8 in the morning.
It's part of the 19th annual Kids’ Ocean Day event where students take the classroom to the coastline.
San Diego was one of six cities nationwide cleaning up the environment Thursday.
I Love A Clean San Diego organized the movement and says it teaches students how to change their behavior by protecting Mother Nature.
A mind-boggling 5 trillion pieces of plastic end up in oceans and debris is harmful to marine life.
Councilmember Lorie Zapf was also there along with corporate sponsors.
Following the cleanup, the students united and stood on the beach to form the words: "COME TOGETHER.”
