Tidying Up Our Tides
Anyone who has had the chance to visit Santa Barbara can recognize it is one of a kind. From the mountains to the ocean, beauty is around every corner, but the community of people is where the real beauty lies. The Santa Barbara community is not ordinary in its devotion to generosity, environmentalism, and enriching the well being of its members. In fact, Santa Barbara has the second highest number of nonprofits per capita in California. Addressing various needs, these organizations keep the town we love alive and thriving; one of these organizations is very close to the heart of the Sea Center: Tidy Seas.
Founded by Sea Center alumnus Ryan Wong, Tidy Seas is devoted to protecting our oceans and the incredible biodiversity that lies within. Aptly named, the organization is focused on cleaning up local beaches and educating the community on the dangers of marine debris. With conservation at its forefront, it unites locals in a quest for safe, pristine, and natural coastlines. Ryan’s inspiration sprung from a genuine love for his hometown. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, a day without the ocean was rare: surf, dive, fish, repeat. One day, Ryan and his friends watched a returning boat dump a bunch of trash bags off the side of the deck. Dozens of pounds of waste were instantly cast into the blue, some of which would float or wash ashore, and most which would eventually sink. This visual prompted a light bulb moment, and Ryan asked: “Are there any nonprofits that solely focus on trash?”
A glimpse into the amount of trash Ryan and the Tidy Seas team find on our beaches. Their collections are often filled with everyday items like water bottles, cans, wrappers, and plastic bags. Photo courtesy Ryan Wong
The Santa Barbara coast is no stranger to beach cleanups. Our team here at the Sea Center, the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Explore Ecology, and groups at UC Santa Barbara all include cleanups as part of their missions. California as a whole has been participating in the California Coastal Cleanup Day since 1985. However, there had yet to be an organization with beach cleanups as the primary focus and fountain for engagement. With this in mind, the scheme for a large-scale clean began. But this was no ordinary spring cleaning—stacks of paperwork, steadfast determination, and consistent communication stood in the way of making this nonprofit a reality. However, Ryan quickly learned that many people are able and willing to help. With such a large number of local nonprofits, it's safe to say many locals had been there before. Ryan wanted this organization to stand out and reward participants with access to new experiences, new friends, and some of Santa Barbara’s finest local goods. The beach cleanup events began, and donors offered baskets, donuts, coffee and more. Impactful business collaboration bridges the gap between industry and conservation, government and its citizens, and of course science and education. So just like our local giant kelp in the right conditions, Tidy Seas grew practically overnight. Beach cleanups transformed from a single event to a weekly community activity.
Soon, Tidy Seas was bringing willing volunteers out every weekend—volunteers from all walks of life. This has allowed Ryan to use the skills he gathered as a volunteer at the Sea Center. Like many in our Sea Center family, Ryan was a volunteer interpreter in high school. Learning how to communicate with a public composed of many different languages and cultures prepared Ryan for the kind of outreach he does today. Science education has a remarkable ability to break down barriers, and unite people in a common cause, passion, or experience. Tidy Seas is a cause that every Santa Barbaran can get behind. The close-knit tangle of people pulls in one person after the other...and soon the whole community is rooting for you.
Volunteers have the chance to participate in raffles and enjoy local food and drink sponsorships…a reward for a job well done! Photo courtesy Ryan Wong
Watching the tangible success in community engagement was the engine behind getting Tidy Seas official nonprofit certification. For those who have never registered a nonprofit (probably most of us), here is a crash course. For starters, it’s no easy task, and there is a lot of bureaucracy involved on both federal and state levels. Ryan was clear, he wanted to do everything by the book—the tedious rules make the process slow, but it would all be worth it to cement his dream into a reality. Federal 501(c)(3) certification came back rather fast, and Tidy Seas was a federally recognized nonprofit last April. California certification can take up to ten months…but this in no way stopped the momentum of Tidy Seas. Last year they collected over 50,000 pounds of trash.
The beginning of 2025 displayed continued success; the first cleanup of January gathered 105 people. But for Ryan, it was looking at the photos of a participant afterwards that really felt like a made it moment: “The humongous smile that she had…we made that smile. To see it captured in a photo and look back at that whole year, it was like ‘woah, we are doing something pretty big here.’” Another gratifying part of the Tidy Seas journey has been watching local kids get involved. In fact, the younger participants often drag their parents along with them!—a subtle reminder that concern for the planet starts young and is founded in fun. During a collaboration with the MOXI museum, kids and adults alike embarked on a beach debris scavenger hunt for a MOXI museum reward. Behind every adult is an inner kid that enjoys a good old-fashioned treasure hunt and the chance to frolic along the beach! Between making a difference in their local ecosystem, participants rediscovered the joy of being outside.
Getting other community groups involved is what contributes to the success of Tidy Seas. This event with the Carpinteria Junior Lifeguards brought together over 200 people and removed buckets upon buckets of trash. Photo courtesy Ryan Wong
Local supporters are an absolute necessity to keep nonprofits afloat. Beyond the certification process, there are continuous struggles. Number one is raising enough money to support operations, followed by handling insurance, finding volunteer help, and keeping up with the growth of the organization. As the impact of an organization multiplies, so do the meetings, the needed supplies, and the time it consumes. For Ryan, Tidy Seas is his after-hours project, as he maintains a full time job in the motor sports industry. It’s a balancing act, and Ryan’s hard work is what has maintained that balance as Tidy Seas got off the ground. The other important piece of the puzzle is asking for help. “A good friend told me if you are not hearing no, you aren’t asking enough.” Ryan has found help in some of the most unexpected places. Ryan reached out to a company that makes electric jacks for motor sports racing—but not for what you’d expect. Cleanups on the Channel Islands require some heavier lifting, with large lobster traps that need to be moved out of the rocks. With some innovative thinking, and a generous donation, Ryan was able to use one of these jacks to make the lifts easier, and save some backs in the process. There is nothing wrong with a helping hand, or a state-of-the-art electric jack, it only makes you stronger.
Ryan is an active participant in the cleanups, especially heavy duty ones like this one near Hendry’s Beach, where his team collects larger equipment like lobster traps. Photo courtesy Ryan Wong
The strength of nonprofits makes neighborhoods and cities more resilient. Nonprofits, especially environmentally focused ones like Tidy Seas, are of increasing importance. There is limited government assistance for many of the issues that nonprofits face head on. Nonprofits are fueled by regular people who decide to initiate change. Being in another career, Ryan is proof that anyone can make conservation a part of their life. Start small, chase after that plastic bag, support a local organization (like Tidy Seas), and if passion allows, you may even end up in Ryan’s shoes. His goal is to make Tidy Seas a full-time job, and expand the organization to other beach towns. Inspired by groups like Heal the Bay in Santa Monica, he wants to turn the 105 people from this January’s cleanup into 1,000. Additionally, he hopes to take Tidy Seas further offshore to the Channel Islands. While they currently collaborate with NOAA, commercial fisherman and other non profits to manage Channel Islands trips, it would be amazing to handle it on their own.
The Channel Islands are a cherished place for Ryan, “It’s one of the most peaceful places I have ever been.” To be able to share that place with others through Tidy Seas would be a dream come true. “It’s like a big secret. It’s right there, and not a lot of people end up getting there.” Nonprofits have the ability to give people the time and the financial ability to not only see beauties like the islands, but make a tangible difference there. As Tidy Seas continues to flourish, Ryan will be making waves all the way to the Channel Islands and beyond. So goodbye trash, we have a better future in store.
This is the second article in a series about Sea Center volunteers and staff who've gone on to great things in marine science and advocacy; read The White Abalone Midwife for more.
About the Author
Fiona Diskin is a 2025 aquatic biology graduate from UC Santa Barbara. In addition to her BS in aquatic biology, she also received minors in professional writing in science communication, and theater. Originally from Philadelphia, PA, she has found a home here in Santa Barbara, and fallen in love with the local marine ecosystems. She hopes to pursue a full-time career in science communication, education, or writing, and eventually a graduate degree in marine science. Her favorite marine animal is a close tie between the Moon Jelly and the Bottlenose Dolphin.
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