Planting the seeds of change

A Cal Poly student-run nonprofit in San Luis Obispo. We clean up coastlines, foster forests, and create communities.

Next event · Sunday, November 8

Environmental Restoration with Sigma Nu

We're teaming up with Sigma Nu for a hands-on environmental restoration day. The time and meeting spot go out in the GroupMe first.

Get the details

What we do

Clean up coastlines
Hands-on cleanups along San Luis Obispo's coastline and trails.
Foster forests
Forest restoration days that help SLO's hills and open spaces grow back greener.
Create communities
Info sessions, concerts and cleanups that turn people who care into people who show up.

Over 77 pounds, every time we go out

From the P hike to downtown streets, our cleanups average more than 77 lbs of trash. Our four biggest alone pulled 312.9 lbs out of San Luis Obispo.

77+lbsAverage haul per cleanup
312.9lbsFrom our four biggest cleanups
6Partner organizations

Cleanup at the Pincl. a 70 lb couch164 lbs

Sierra Club Partnership Cleanup81.7 lbs

1st Campus Cleanup of the 2026 School Year42 lbs

SLO Street Cleanup25.2 lbs

Green Shovel Project volunteers posing at night in front of a gazebo strung with lights, holding Green Shovel Project and clean-up sign-in signs — Community nights

Built by students, funded by people who care

The Green Shovel Project started with Cal Poly student Koby Kaplan and his peers, who saw the need for direct action and decided to take it. Today we host events every month and run 100% on donations, so every contribution goes straight into the work.

How a season runs

Monthly cleanupsCoastline and trail cleanups around San Luis Obispo.
Info sessionsUnderstand your impact on the environment and what you can do about it.
Closing ceremonyWe celebrate what everyone pulled off together.

Read our story

Sunset, live music, and a quarter's worth of funding

On February 6, 2026 we teamed up with Cal Poly band Set in Stone for a concert at sunset. The donations raised are fueling our work this quarter, and it's only the first of the community events we have planned.

See the latest news