Month: April 2023

Results Begin to Come in for the 21st Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup
Over 5,000 registered volunteers of all ages at 107 sites took part in the region’s largest environmental cleanup on Earth Day.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY (April 22, 2023) –  As of 3 p.m. today, I Love A Clean San Diego reports more than 5,000 registered volunteers have removed over 57,000 pounds of litter and debris from streets, canyons, parks, and the coastline in communities across San Diego County for the 21^st Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup. Results are still coming in from the 107 sites across San Diego County.

“Although numbers from cleanup sites are still coming in, we can safely say we have reached our goal this year,” said Ann Marie Sack, Director of Community Engagement at I Love A Clean San Diego. “We are thankful for all the volunteers, from all corners of San Diego County, who celebrated Earth Day with us at Creek to Bay this year.”

San Diego City Council presented a proclamation in honor of Creek to Bay’s 21^st anniversary and for the significant impact the countywide event has had in preserving San Diego’s environment since its inception in 2002. Elected officials kicked off Creek to Bay at a site within their district.

“Our beaches and waterways are some of San Diego’s greatest assets and deserve our care,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “This family-friendly event has a positive impact on our region’s environment.”

Plastic in all its forms remains the chief pollutant found at the annual Earth Week event. In 2022, nearly 70% of all the litter removed from community and countywide cleanups was a form of plastic or single-use item. Volunteers included residents, corporate groups, community groups, and other regional environmental organizations, who diverted litter and debris across all sites from reaching our neighborhoods, creeks, bays, and ocean.

Among the most notable items collected were a doggy bed, Easter eggs, stop signs, a BBQ grill, a bullet case, and a lobster net.

Residents that were not able to participate in today’s Creek to Bay cleanup can still join I Love A Clean San Diego in creating a healthier, more vibrant region by making a gift or starting a fundraiser at cleansd.org/earth.

The Creek to Bay Cleanup is one of two annual countywide cleanups hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego. The next major cleanup event is International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 23, 2023.

I Love A Clean San Diego is grateful for the support of the 21^st annual Creek to Bay Partners:
Think Blue San Diego, County of San Diego and its Watershed Protection Program, COX, Project Clean Water, Bank of America, illumina, PlayStation, Sempra Infrastructure, Sony, Watkins Wellness, Wells Fargo, ecoATM, City of Imperial Beach, Mitch’s Seafood, Ocean Conservancy, San Diego Regional Airport Authority, Sycuan, Team SEAS & Ocean Conservancy Small Grant Award, City of Chula Vista, City of El Cajon, City of La Mesa, City of San Marcos, Port of San Diego, and Audacy.

About I Love A Clean San Diego County
Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego County (ILACSD) is an environmental nonprofit on a mission to foster zero waste lifestyles and beautify communities throughout the region. ILACSD serves about 90,000 students, adults, and businesses every year through environmental education, volunteer cleanup and beautification programs, and recycling and zero waste resources for the public. Annually, the organization hosts approximately 900 workshops and produces 600 community cleanups. Community cleanups are responsible for clearing nearly half a million pounds of pollution from the region annually. ILACSD is dedicated to empowering every person to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living to protect and improve the health of the home we love. Connect with us at CleanSD.org, WasteFreeSD.org,  Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , and LinkedIn.

I Love A Clean San Diego Provides Spring Cleaning and Recycling Resources to San Diego County Residents
The WasteFreeSD.org database has thousands of recycling, donation, and repair centers throughout the region.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY (April 26, 2023) – As the spring cleaning season begins, I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) and the County of San Diego remind residents of the free WasteFreeSD.org database and proper recycling practices.

I Love A Clean San Diego encourages residents to practice reuse, reduce, donate, and repair to limit the number of items that end up in the landfill. Residents can use I Love A Clean San Diego’s free online database, WasteFreeSD.org, which provides information on thousands of centers throughout the region.  The free database includes a wealth of options on how to properly dispose of or recycle unwanted items as well as donation and repair centers. The R1 Earth Hotline is also available for residents who have questions or may need help locating a center near them. Hours run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday thru Friday.  Incorporated city residents please call 1-800-237-2583, and unincorporated residents may call 1-877-713-2784.

“By using the database to locate centers for proper disposal and recycling of unwanted items, individuals will be contributing to fewer materials reaching the landfill while making a significant, positive impact on the environment,” said Ann Marie Sack, Director of Community Engagement. “WasteFreeSD.org is also home to our blog which contains resources to help inspire residents to reuse or repair items.”

Although many common household items can be recycled, placing the correct items in the blue bin is important. Proper recycling practices ensure items remain valuable, make it through the recycling process, and reduce the hazard to workers and machinery at recycling facilities (MRFs). There are four main groups of materials that San Diego county residents can place in their blue recycling bins:

Paper, cardboard, and cartons: This includes newspapers and magazines; flattened cardboard; containers made of paper; and milk, juice, and soup cartons. Items like tissues and napkins are not recyclable but can be placed in your organic waste bin (green cart).

Plastic bottles and containers: Items include plastic bottles, cups, tubs & containers; foam blocks; and clamshells containers. Plastic caps must be left on plastic bottles to make it through the recycling process.

Plastic bags, bubble wrap and plastic mailers are recyclable but should NEVER be placed in your blue bins. These materials can be returned to participating retailers or reused.

Glass bottles and jars: Any color glass jar or bottle. Window glass, ceramics, or drinking glasses do not belong in the blue bin. Consider donating usable drinking glasses.

Metal and aluminum cans and foil: Steel and aluminum; bottles and cans; empty aerosol cans; aluminum trays and foil. Paint cans do not belong in the blue bin unless the paint is dry and container is empty.

“When San Diego county residents Recycle Right, everyone wins,” says Steve Weihe, Recycling Specialist for the County of San Diego.  “The MRF receives cleaner, more valuable material which results in lower operating costs due to less contamination. Our paper, cardboard and cartons, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and containers, and metal and aluminum cans and foil then become new products that manufacturers want and need.  Keeping items like plastic bags, clothing, hoses, liquids and electronic waste out of the blue bin is essential.”

To Recycle Right, residents should follow three simple steps:

• EMPTY-No or minimal food residue left
• DRY-No liquids remaining
• LOOSE-Recyclables must be placed in the bin loose, not bagged

Film plastics like grocery bags and bread bags; tanglers like textiles and hoses; organic waste; and household hazardous waste (HHW) such as batteries, fluorescent bulbs, and electronics DO NOT belong in the blue bin.

Residents can find recycling guides on the County’s website and learn about sustainable practices by registering for one of I Love A Clean San Diego’s workshops and webinars at cleansd.org/events.

About I Love A Clean San Diego

Founded in 1954, I Love A Clean San Diego is an environmental nonprofit supporting residents and businesses of San Diego County through youth and adult education, and local action through impactful volunteer events and workshops. As San Diego’s most influential advocate for sustainability, I Love A Clean San Diego’s programs are an environmental catalyst, awakening passion and inspiring action to empower everyone to be leaders in conservation and waste-free living. Our community is passion in action to maintain and improve the health of the home we love. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit CleanSD.org or call (619) 291-0103. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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