Earth Day 2009

West Contra Costa County Creeks and Shoreline Challenge

Highlights

Click here to view photos from the event!

Saturday, April 25th marked the 2nd annual West Contra Costa County Creeks and Shoreline Challenge. During a beautiful Saturday morning, from 9:00am to noon, 288 volunteers helped to remove trash from four of our local creeks, Baxter Creek (in South Richmond near the Del Norte BART station), three sites along Wildcat Creek (along 23rd Street and at Verde Elementary and where it intersects Rumrill Blvd.), four sites along San Pablo Creek (at the El Sobrante Boys and Girls Club, Elks Club, La Honda Road, and Castro Ranch Road) and Rheem Creek (at Contra Costa College).

In just three hours volunteers pulled and picked over 20 cubic yards (or approximately 8 utility truckloads) of debris from our creeks and shoreline. Challenge participants also signed a pledge to reduce their use of packaging and use proper recycling and garbage containers to help prevent litter before it reaches our creeks. The most unusual items found were a halloween coffin, an MRI of someone's knee, and the remains of a car.

At San Pablo Creek, a personal computer from the early 1980's, five car tires and a mattress were removed from the creek by volunteers working at four different spots along the creek and its tributaries.

Sundiata Alrashid, Community Coordinator for the Making Waves Program brought an astounding 130 students to the Creeks Challenge. He commented, "The work that was done (trash removal, weeding, and planting) goes a long way to help revitalize area creeks."

After the morning cleanup, site coordinators and volunteers headed to the West Contra Costa County Earth Day Festival where a truck displayed material collected from an advance clean-up on Wednesday as a part of an informational exhibit on the impacts of trash, littering and dumping on our neighborhoods, waterways and ocean. The Watershed Project's exhibit included a display on the Pacific Garbage Patch--an area in the Pacific Ocean larger than the size of Texas that is covered in plastic debris. The Watershed Project also provided information on how residents can get involved in local creek and shoreline restoration efforts or take simple actions to reduce their plastic use and help keep our neighborhoods and waterways clean.

We would like to thank all of the West County residents who took the challenge and came out to actively make a difference in our community this Earth Day! We would also like to thank all of those who traveled here to join us.

Finally, we would like to thank all of local businesses and other organizations that made this event possible through their generous donations, sponsorship and general support: Sunpower, Starbucks Coffee, New York Bagels, Zoe's Cookies, Costco, Raley's and Safeway.

This year the West Contra Costa County Earth Day Creeks and Shoreline Clean-up Challenge was a collaborative effort between the City of Richmond, the City of San Pablo, Earth Team, San Pablo Watershed Neighbors Education and Restoration Association (SPAWNERS), Keep North Richmond Beautiful, Urban Creeks Council and the Watershed Project. We hope many more will join us next year!



Albany Earth Day

Highlights
  • 135 volunteers attended
  • 415 pounds of trash picked up
  • 62 pounds of recycling collected
  • Fun and educational activities for families

Click here to view photos from the event!

We had a wonderful Earth Day Clean Up and Celebration on Sunday April 19 at the Albany shoreline. A total of 135 participants, 82 adults and 53 kids picked up 415 pounds of trash and 62 pounds of recycling! Those are great numbers, considering that we asked participants to focus on plastic debris. Light weight plastic trash, including small bits and pieces, is the most prevalent form of debris and also the most harmful in the environment.

Albany/Berkeley Girl Scout Troop 1815 and Cub Scout Troop 505 joined the event for their Earth Day service projects. Ms. Zmich's third grade class at Cornell Elementary School won a contest for a free presentation from The Watershed Project for sending the most parents and students to the event.

The event was enhanced by the involvement of many key volunteers who assisted with activities, and contributions from local organizations and businesses. The Citizens for East Shore Parks staffed a display table at the event, helped with publicity, and recruited volunteers. Noah's Bagels, Sunnyside Cafe, and Safeway donated refreshments to feed the clean up volunteers.

The participants also enjoyed a number of additional activities we offered for all ages. A fishing and recycling game was fun and educational for young children, and the Trash Time Line interactive display and Pollution Soup skit were entertaining and informative for both older children and adults. Families and adults took part in the Nature Walk and in Creating Art from Trash and Treasures, and learned about sources and patterns of trash deposition and some of the natural and human history of the bulb.

Many thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who attended!