Registration Opens for Earth Day Cleanup
Santa Clara County has opened registration for its annual Earth Day Neighborhood Cleanup event in April. The volunteer initiative encourages residents to participate in beautifying local communities across the county.
The annual cleanup is part of a broader set of initiatives by Santa Clara County to protect local waterways. These efforts are managed through the Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program (SCVURPPP), a partnership of 15 public agencies, including the county and thirteen cities. This program aims to reduce stormwater pollution and protect the water quality of local creeks and the San Francisco Bay. One of the key focuses of these environmental efforts is the health of the local creeks, such as Calabazas Creek, Saratoga Creek, San Tomas Aquino Creek, and the Guadalupe River. In addition to volunteer cleanups, the city of Santa Clara implements measures like increased street sweeping in industrial zones and the installation of trash capture devices in storm drain inlets to prevent pollution. Valley Water, a key partner in the county's environmental initiatives, manages about 333 miles of the 800 miles of creeks in the urbanized areas of the county. The remaining portions are the responsibility of public agencies and private landowners. To encourage community involvement, Valley Water established the Adopt-A-Creek program in 1992, which now includes over 140 groups that help maintain the county's 275 miles of creeks. The Earth Day events are part of a larger series of environmental activities in April. The City of Santa Clara also hosts an Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration, which in 2026 will be held at the Triton Museum of Art on April 2nd. This event includes educational booths, tree planting ceremonies, and other family-friendly activities to promote environmental awareness.
