This year, our inaugural group of Clean Bay Collective community scientists spent six months collecting water quality data throughout Alamitos Bay. Week after week, they headed to the shoreline to collect samples, record observations, and help us build a clearer picture of the health of Alamitos Bay. Now that Phase 1 is complete, we had the chance to hear from our testers about their favorite part of participating. Their answers reminded us that Clean Bay Collective is about much more than the data we collect.
A reason to slow down and notice
One theme came up again and again: getting outside.
For many of our testers, their weekly sampling became a reason to step away from work and everyday routines and spend intentional time along the shoreline. One participant shared that the program gave them “a good reason to get outside during the work week and contribute to something valuable.” Another said it created a dedicated time each week to simply be outdoors, smell the fresh sea air, and spend time with a friend.
That time outside also encouraged people to pay closer attention to a place they may see every day — going under the surface to see the magic of the urban wild that often is quieted by the pavement, traffic, and the everyday movement of city life.
Once they slowed down and began to observe, testers noticed fish, clams, moon jellies, water insects, floating trash, changing water conditions, and other details that can easily disappear into the background of daily life. One participant described their favorite part as “being outside and noticing the wildlife we often forget due to our daily work/life.”
Science became something to share
For others, Clean Bay Collective became an experience shared with family, friends, and even strangers.
Participants brought their children along, sampled with partners and friends, and struck up conversations with local fishers while collecting data. One parent shared that their favorite part was teaching their daughter how repeated testing can “create a picture of data to provide answers.
Another anecdotal story tells of two strangers who had lived just a few houses down from each other for years but had never met. That changed when they crossed paths in the field while both participating in the water quality testing program. The “Community Scientist” shirts and bright blue Clean Bay Collective buckets were a telltale sign that they were both working toward a common goal. They struck up a conversation, and a new friendship began.
These interactions are an important part of community science. Environmental monitoring doesn’t have to happen somewhere far away or only be conducted by professional scientists. It can begin with people becoming curious about the places right outside their doors and gaining the tools to investigate them. This is a key reason why we keep the barrier to entry low for all participants, so everyone can take part regardless of past training, profession, education, or experience. We want to make it clear that community science is for everyone!
Building a deeper relationship with the bay
Through kayaking, paddleboarding, wildlife observations, water sampling, and simply returning to the same place week after week, testers began experiencing Alamitos Bay differently.
They weren’t just collecting numbers. They were noticing patterns, learning new skills, and becoming more aware of water quality and pollution; all while developing a stronger connection to the ecosystem they were helping monitor.
That is one of the biggest takeaways from our inaugural round of Clean Bay Collective: when people participate in understanding their local environment, they also begin to build a deeper relationship with it. They begin to see themselves as a part of, not separate from, the natural world.
Our first group of testers helped create an important baseline of community collected information about Alamitos Bay. Just as importantly, they showed us what can happen when environmental science becomes part of everyday life: more time outside, more curiosity, more conversations, and a community that is paying closer attention to the water we all share.
As we head into Phase 2 of this important program, we are grateful to our inaugural testers for creating such a strong foundation. We also welcome all of the new water quality testers who are helping carry the torch forward. Together we continue working toward our goal of building a community-driven water quality dataset for Alamitos Bay that can help inform future decisions.