Yuk Fai Lo, Wendy Thorman, Connie Jolly and Pamela Ryan, members of De Anza’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, went up to Dunes Beach at Half Moon Bay on Sep. 16 to take part in the California Coastal Commission’s 16th Annual Coastal Cleanup.

The statewide event counts on thousands of organizational and individual volunteers to help clean various California beaches, lakes, rivers, creeks and highways.

The beach-cleaners came across quite a collection of garbage, including everything from small cigarette butts, pieces of styrofoam, clothing, food containers, 50 foot rope, to construction materials, and even a huge log that was still smoldering in an alcove near a pond.

Every year, cleanup volunteers are asked to keep a record of all the types of items collected. The data will be entered into the Center for Marine Conserv- ation’s international database to identify the source of the debris, such as foreign-source plastic shipping straps. Why would anyone voluntarily dig in all tha dirt? According to Pamela Ryan, a Phi

Theta Kappa member, community service is one of the credos of Phi Theta Kappa and done on an annual, monthly and sometimes weekly basis.

“I have learned so much about being concerned about the life and environment around me. I hope others will see that we care and want our outings to the beaches to be free of litter,” said Connie Jolly, another member of Phi Theta Kappa. “You see that you can really make a difference. The beaches were actually clearer than the year before!”