The scum of the earth up and...

The scum of the earth up and down the coast is about to disappear as scuba divers pluck garbage from the ocean at Venice Pier, paddlers snag floating junk in Marina del Rey and nimble volunteers pick up gobs of unrecognizable washed-up dreck on Dockweiler State Beach. The mass tidying is the result of the annual California Coastal Cleanup, an idea that migrated from Oregon in 1985. The event is expected to bring out thousands of Californians from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. And it’s not just about the beach: There also are sites on the urban edge at Compton Creek and Elysian Park. “We’re trying to catch that garbage before it gets to the beach,” said Hallie Jones, public affairs manager of Santa Monica-based Heal the Bay, which is organizing many of the region’s cleanup events. To find locations and start times statewide, call (800) 262-7848 or go to www.coastal.ca.gov. For events in L.A. County, call (800) 432-5229 or go to www.healthebay.org.