All of us at I Love A Clean San Diego are excited to embark on a new program called Trash Trackers this winter. We are extremely pleased with the tone and the results from the program’s kickoff last week. Our Community Events Department coordinated with a small group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers that were motivated and ready to get out there and get really dirty to protect their environment. The group tracked types of trash found in a particularly trash-ridden section of the Otay River in Chula Vista. Whether these volunteers were painstakingly picking up thousands of small pieces of Styrofoam cups and pellets or removing large auto parts from the river, they took great pride and care in marking each item on trash tracker sheets.
Volunteers exhibiting such gusto are a true inspiration to all of us! Those of us who attended the event were thrilled to get to spend more time cleaning up alongside each of these volunteers through this smaller scale cleanup program that is unlike any other ILACSD program.
Not only did we get to work with a fantastic group of volunteers and remove thousands of pieces of trash, we also were able to collect data on the type and source of trash found in this targeted impaired waterway. At ILACSD we hope to inspire behavior change through all that this program provides – hard data and event photos that show the direct problems caused by litter building in our waterways. See for yourself in photos included from the event. We hope that the shocking sheer volume of Styrofoam and other plastics found at this site will inspire our volunteers and readers to always be mindful of the impact daily habits have on the environment here in San Diego County.
