Oceanside’s beaches got a lot cleaner this weekend thanks to the work of a committed band of community members.

Two local businesses, Left Coast Extracts and Inspired by Cannabis, teamed up to sponsor this weekend’s Oceanside beach cleanup. The group started at Oceanside’s busiest beach spot, the pier.

Teams then spread out from there, filling bags with trash and setting aside any items they found that were too big for their garbage bags. In total, the group cleaned 6 bags of garbage and picked up more than 32 pounds of debris from our shore.

Left Coast co-founder Alexandra Kometas said the cleanup was not motivated by Earth Day or some other external prompt. “We just want our beaches to be clean and safe for Oceanside residents,” she explained. “It’s easy to get caught up in all the negative news with COVID and the fires, and to feel overwhelmed. We wanted to remind ourselves and others that we can always act to make our own lives and spaces a little more beautiful.”

This is not the first time that Inspired by Cannabis and Left Coast Extracts have paired up to do a cleanup. Left Coast purchased snacks and supplies for a beach cleanup on Saturday, September 19th. On that date, they picked up more than 32 pounds of debris from the beach.

“This is one of the many ways, visible and invisible, that the cannabis industry is making a positive contribution to Oceanside,” Kometas explained. “Sure, there is the tax revenue. That benefits us all. But we are proud of our donations of PPE to first responders when the COVID-19 pandemic created a shortage, and the beach cleanups.”

She expressed confidence that Left Coast Extracts, Inspired by Cannabis, and other similar groups will find additional ways to contribute in the future. “We want what everyone wants – a clean, safe, and productive community.”