National River Cleanup Day

• Saturday, May 17, 2025
• 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

California Coastal Cleanup Day

• Saturday, September 20, 2025
• 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

How to Participate

National River Cleanup Day and California Coastal Cleanup Day is a County-wide Volunteer cleanup. In Santa Clara County, the event consists of upwards of 40 individual volunteer cleanup locations throughout the county. The Event is organized by Valley Water and a consortium of public agencies known as the Creek Connections Action Group.

• Register to host a cleanup site as a cleanup site coordinator
  • Must be 18 years or older
  • Great option for businesses, neighborhood associations, scout troops, schools, and other organizations.
  • Valley Water provides cleanup supplies, outreach materials, access permits, waivers, training, and trash pickup to remove collected litter
  • Visit www.cleanacreek.org to register your cleanup site

• Sign up to participate in an existing site 
  • Site registrations open a month prior
  • All ages are welcome
  • All cleanup supplies will be provided on the day of the event
  • Visit www.cleanacreek.org to sign up to be notified when registrations open  

Residential Free Compost Giveaway

Ever wonder what happens to your yard trimmings and organics waste in Santa Clara? Yard trimmings and other organics placed out for weekly collection get processed into rich compost that improves soil structure and aeration, enriches soil with nutrients, and reduces pollutants all while diverting waste from landfills. 

The City of Santa Clara is hosting two residential compost giveaways in 2025 at the Department of Public Works Corporation Yard, 1700 Walsh Avenue on:

• April 5, 2025, 8 a.m.-11 a.m.
• August 16, 2025, 7:30 a.m.-11 a.m. 

Additional Event Details

• No registration required - first come first serve.
• Proof of residency required (i.e. utility bill or ID).
• Residents must bring their own sturdy containers (i.e. 5-gallon buckets).
• Staff will be on-site to assist with filling compost containers.
• Maximum of 40 gallons per household.
• Compost will be available while supplies last and quantity is limited. 

Citywide Garage Sale

Hosting a garage sale can be a fun event for both sellers and buyers. It's a win-win situation! Get rid of clutter and earn some cash, find unexpected items at a reduced cost, and reuse items that would otherwise go to the landfill.

• April 19, 2025
• August 9, 2025

View Registrations using the Citywide Garage Sale Locator

How to Participate

Sellers - Register your address for an individual, multi-family, or neighborhood block garage sale. Complete the registration form thoroughly.

Buyers - Search for sale locations using the interactive map once registration has opened or downloadable spreadsheet, available after registration has closed.

For more information, email us at Environment@SantaClaraCA.gov or call 408-615-3080.

Home Composting Workshops

The City of Santa Clara hosts Home Composting Workshops throughout the year. To register, visit the Santa Clara County's Master Composter's website.

• March 1, 2025 - Worm Composting Workshop
• May 31, 2025 - Composting Basics Workshop
• July 26, 2025 - Worm Composting Workshop
• November 1, 2025 - Composting Basics Workshop

Adopt-a-Spot Tool Lending Program

The Adopt-a-Spot Tool Lending Program is designed to enable community groups, businesses, churches, schools, and other organizations to play an active role in keeping public spaces clean and beautiful, while allowing them to set their own schedule. It is also a great opportunity for students to obtain community service hours.

We are looking for participants that would like to adopt a spot such as

• Creek trails (with SCVWD approval)
• Neighborhood blocks
• City-owned lots or alleys
• Storm drain inlets
• Gutter lines & sidewalks
• Bus stops (with VTA approval)

Why adopt a spot?

• Make your community a better place to live and play
• Explore details of the urban environment that often go unnoticed
• Contribute to a healthier and cleaner community
• Increase public awareness of the effects of littering
• Recognition for your efforts to make a difference
• Find out how rewarding caring for your community can be!

How to adopt a spot!

• Nominate a spot within the City that is in need of litter abatement. The site must be approved by City staff
• Fill out an application to adopt the chosen spot for one year
• Sign a liability waiver
• Get trained and request necessary materials: Personal protective equipment (safety vests and gloves), trash buckets, trash grabbers and trash bags.
• Arrange for garbage pick up and tool lending before your cleanup event. 

For more information, contact Environmental Programs staff at Environment@SantaClaraCA.gov or call 408-615-3080.

Earth Day/Arbor Day 2025

Each year on Earth Day and Arbor Day, people across the country demonstrate support for environmental protection and reflect on the important role that trees play in our world. Trees help clean our air, reduce the effects of climate change, provide habitat for wildlife, and help save energy.

This year, Santa Clara’s Earth Day/Arbor Day Celebration will be at the Central Park Pavilion (909 Kiely Blvd) on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This free community-wide special event celebrates the environment and will feature a performance, tree climbing demonstration, tree planting ceremony, exhibitor booths promoting environmental education, and a pedestrian rodeo as part of our Santa Clara Safe Routes to School Program!

Please reach out to environment@santaclaraca.gov if you have any questions regarding the event.

Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA and Growth Award

The benefits that trees bring to our urban environment are tremendous and the City of Santa Clara recognizes the importance of a robust and thriving urban forest. Tree City USA is a nationally recognized program that began in 1976 and is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters. Towns and cities that have received their Tree City USA recognition take pride in this distinction and the people who live there enjoy the valuable benefits of having a greener, healthier community. For its commitment to managing, expanding, and preserving our urban forest, the City of Santa Clara has been designated a Tree City USA community for the 38th time by the Arbor Day Foundation. The trees we plant now show our commitment to the environment and future generations.

Among cities that receive the Tree City USA recognition, there are a few that go above and beyond the basic requirements. To recognize higher levels of tree care and environmental stewardship, the Growth Award was created. This award highlights innovative programs and projects as well as increased commitment of resources for urban forestry. Santa Clara has received this extra special recognition 25 times!

Additional Earth Day/Arbor Day Activities and Resources

• Find 150 Ways To Celebrate Trees on Arbor Day
• Visit Arbor Day Foundation's "Carly's Kid Corner" for awesome games and activities. Learn more about trees and why they're so important to our world. Find a variety of printable activity sheets and interactive activities.
• Celebrate the environment and culture through music by visiting ZunZunTunes.
• Watch a pre-recorded ZunZun assembly and learn more about protecting the watershed and creeks, as well how our actions can affect what makes its way into the Bay.
• More ZunZun Watershed Watch video clips
  
• Visit The Waterbeat for water education through music and movement.
• Visit Watershed Watch Teachers and Students Resource Page for coloring pages, quizzes, a scavenger hunt, and more!