Each year, Fiesta leaves behind a significant amount of plastic confetti, single-use plastic cups, and other trash that litters the streets and falls into storm drains.
To supplement the city of Santa Barbara’s usual post-Fiesta street cleanup, Heal the Ocean (HTO) hired Andrew Velikanje of Earthcomb to help clean litter that landed in side streets, planters, and overlooked areas.
Over three days, Velikanje removed 1,300 pounds of trash that would have otherwise ended up in the storm drains or gutters, which would be washed out to sea at first rain.
Heal the Ocean said it is grateful for its association with Velikanje, who started Earthcomb at a time when he didn’t have a roof over his head.
Velikanje went out day after day to clean up the littered beaches and roadsides, documenting it all for his website, HTO said.
Velikanje is now Hazmat-certified and a licensed Peer Advocate, providing jobs and counseling to those without shelter.
During his Fiesta cleanup work, Velikanje said he noted a significant increase in homeless camping in downtown doorways, with no restrooms in sight. work. He said he is preparing a report for Heal the Ocean to take to Santa Barbara City Mayor Randy Rowse.