Page 34 – I Love A Clean San Diego

How to Celebrate Earth Day, San Diego Style!

Hello San Diegans! Need plans for this upcoming weekend? Why not spend your Sunday afternoon with I Love A Clean San Diego at the 24^th annual EarthFair! The fair will be located at the beautiful Balboa Park from 10am-5pm on Sunday April 21st. Admission is free! What better way to spend your weekend in America’s Finest City then by sauntering through Balboa Park learning the latest and greatest about going green?

Each year EarthFair brings around 70,000 visitors. Did you know EarthFair started with a local organization called San Diego Earthworks back in 1989? The organization held its first EarthFair a year later in 1990 with the organizational skills of only three people! The first event included 215 volunteers and 50,000 visitors! (How impressive is that?) Every year after that people from all over come to join in on the celebration.

The day will be filled with various events ranging from a children’s parade, eARTh galleries, a plethora of environmental exhibitors, unique food vendors, and other sources of great entertainment. The fair is an awesome and fun way to understand more ways to get involved in order to make the environment a safe and better place! Whether you are eager to learn or ready to get your hands dirty and volunteer, the EarthFair is prepared to provide you with all the information you need!

Stop by our booth at EarthFair in front of the Museum of Art!

If volunteering is something you are interested in, it’s not too late to RSVP for our Creek to Bay Cleanup, April 27^th! This is a county wide cleanup with 90 sites to choose from! Visit CreektoBay.org or just come find us this Sunday to get more information!

We hope to see you at EarthFair this Sunday at Balboa Park! Stop by our booth, which will be right in front of the Museum of Art. Come spin the prize wheel and talk to staff about how you can get involved! It will be a fun day to celebrate this place we call home! Until next time, you stay classy San Diego!

Meet Billy Paul: Protector of Creatures Big and Small

billy_paul_pic — Billy Paul, Creek to Bay Site Captain at Rose Creek

Meet Billy Paul, Creek to Bay Site Captain and a tireless advocate for our environment.

For more than 40 years, Billy Paul has been an environmental activist involved with many environmental projects in San Diego. He also rescues beagles. He works tirelessly to protect the natural environment and the unique animals that call San Diego home, particularly in the areas around Ocean Beach and along Rose Creek. A Vietnam veteran and former Marine, Billy has been involved in everything from cleanups at Dog Beach, to saving Famosa Slough from being drained by developers back in the 1970s. When he first got involved in cleanups, areas like Famosa Slough were being used by locals as dumping grounds for everything from shopping carts and even cars! Working with other dedicated citizens, Billy helped revitalize that area and started to notice a trend – the cleaner the area was, the less trash people would dump there over the course of a year. He says, “I’ve come to realize that if people don’t see trash there, they won’t dump stuff there!” which is one of the reasons he believes cleanups like Creek to Bay are so important.

Several years ago, Billy started volunteering at Rose Creek, an often overlooked waterway that runs along the eastern boundary of Pacific Beach and behind Mission Bay High School. He became a site captain for that site alongside his friend, Karin Zirk, who is also a member of the Friends of Rose Creek. Not only have they removed tons of trash from the creek, they even convinced Campland by the Bay to host an ice cream social after cleanups, providing volunteers with a small token of appreciation after a long morning of work! Thank you Campland!

Billy now lives in Clairemont where he serves as Chair of the Balboa Avenue Citizens Advisory Committee which has helped to revitalize the Balboa Avenue area and make it safer for drivers, pedestrians, and even the animals that call the area home. Billy’s dedication to protecting the environment, the people, and the animals in his local community are evident in the many ways he volunteers his time. It’s evident that nothing will stop Billy Paul from working tirelessly for a clean environment! He was even scheduled for hip replacement surgery this month that would have had him wheelchair bound at Creek to Bay. Fortunately the surgery was pushed back, although he said that he would have been out there regardless. Lucky for us, Billy will be fully mobile at Rose Creek for the Creek to Bay Cleanup and sharing his stories and experiences with the volunteers who share his enthusiasm for preserving the natural habitats near their home.

Oceanside Celebrates Green Week April 22-28

The City of Oceanside celebrates Green Week with a series of events and workshops for local residents. From film screenings to electronics recycling, there is something for everyone April 22^nd – 28^th, including I Love A Clean San Diego’s Creek to Bay Cleanup at five sites in Oceanside.

Oceanside Green Week events include:

Tuesday, April 23 – Compost Workshop – 6pm , El Corazon Senior Center

Oceanside residents will have the opportunity to purchase a compost bin at a discounted rate. Free event for Oceanside residents only, registration required: www.elcorazoncompostfacility.com

Thursday, April 25 – 3^rd Annual Environmental Film Festival – 6 – 9pm, Oceanside Museum of Art

Screening Trashed with an appearance by Captain Charles Moore. Free outdoor film, food vendors and silent auction on site, more info: www.oceansiderecycles.org

Saturday, April 27 – Creek to Bay Cleanup – 9am – 12pm, Loma Alta Creek, Buccaneer Beach, & south Oceanside Pier.

Volunteers needed! Register today: www.CreektoBay.org

Saturday, April 27 – Oceanside Green Fair – 11am – 4pm, Jr. Seau Beach Amphitheater

North County’s largest Earth Day Celebration, featuring dozens of environmentally-friendly booths, products, organizations, as well as food and live entertainment, more info: www.oceansiderecycles.org

Saturday, April 27 – Electronics Recycling – 11am – 4pm, Parking Lot 24, between Pacific & Myers St.

Free electronics recycling & data destruction available.

Saturday, April 27 – Compost Workshop – 8:30am , El Corazon Senior Center

Oceanside residents will have the opportunity to purchase a compost bin at a discounted rate. Free event for Oceanside residents only, registration required: www.oceansiderecycles.org

Sunday, April 28 – Used Oil Filter Exchange Event – 10am-2pm, O’Reilly Auto Parts – 3661 W. Mission Avenue, Oceanside

Free used oil filter exchange (up to 2 new filters per person) for Oceanside residents, while supplies last. More info: www.oceansiderecycles.org

Spotlight On: Aimee Edmonds, Creek to Bay site captain

Join Aimee Edmonds and her family as volunteers for this year's Creek to Bay Cleanup, and help protect our coast! — Join Aimee Edmonds and her family as volunteers for this year’s Creek to Bay Cleanup, and help protect our coast!

When Aimee Edmonds’ daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop chose our Creek to Bay Cleanup as their spring service project, she had no idea she would soon be bringing together not only the troop, but also her church, to clean up the area around their local elementary school. While looking around the Creek to Bay website for a cleanup site for the AHG troop Aimee said, “I quickly narrowed my search to Mira Mesa on the Creek to Bay website and there discovered ILACSD’s outstanding need for a Creek to Bay site in none other than…Mira Mesa!”

Mira Mesa, and specifically Hage Elementary School, is where Aimee and her family attend Newbreak Church, so she knew that the area was in need of not only litter pickup, but landscaping and painting projects. Aimee immediately reached out to our Community Events Department and signed up as the site captain for Mira Mesa. As the site captain, Aimee will receive training and supplies for her site from ILACSD and then will lead the volunteers the day of Creek to Bay.

When we asked Aimee why she though events like the Creek to Bay Cleanup were important she said,

“A clean San Diego is a visible expression that we as residents responsibly care about and appreciate our community where we live and breathe…Serving others is cross-generational and cross-cultural as it builds character in our youth, adolescents, and adults. The next generation is taught how to be good stewards of the things in which we are entrusted.”

Site captains like Aimee are the heart and soul of the Creek to Bay Cleanup, we could not mobilize 6,000+ volunteers at 92 sites across the county – all on one day – without them! Aimee says, “I look forward to bringing people together to help meet real needs at Hage Elementary. We want to show their administration, staff, teachers, students and families we value them as we come alongside them.”

Thanks Aimee and all our other site captains for the great work that you do as an extension of the ILACSD staff!

beach cleanups clean beaches clean coast clean san diego creek to bay cleanup I Love A Clean San Diego

Students learn, engage, and send a strong message at Kids’ Ocean Day

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Education Coordinator, Erika Bjorkquist!

It’s that time of year again, when students slap on sunscreen, grab gloves, and protect our beaches and ocean. You guessed it, we are already getting ready for the 20^th annual Kids’ Ocean Day on June 6, 2013! This year, five organizations throughout California will be hosting a Kids’ Ocean Day events at their local beaches. I Love A Clean San Diego is able to host Kids’ Ocean Day for the tenth year in a row due to the generosity of the California Coastal Commission.

Kids’ Ocean Day is a 2-part education event. First, our educators deliver Ocean Conservation Assemblies to participating classes. These presentations are engaging, interactive, and fun for both kids and kids at heart. After the presentation, students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in a hands-on way; we take them to the beach, where they participate in a cleanup. Lastly, students become advocates for clean beaches and oceans through an aerial art formation.

What is an aerial art formation? Participating students will form the outline of a message in the sand, which is captured by a photographer from a helicopter flying overhead. The result sends a clear message to all San Diegans to protect our precious local resources, and gives students a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the importance of protecting our oceans.

KAAB2012 — At Kids’ Ocean Day 2012, students showed all of San Diego that it is important to ‘Defend the Sea’

This year, 1000 students from 7 local Title I schools in the City of San Diego will participate! If you would like to join the fun with your class or to volunteer, contact Erika Bjorkquist at 619-704-2777 or ebjorkquist@cleansd.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Do you know what to “Doo”?

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Environmental Educator, Monica Rosquillas!

Have you ever walked down the street and seen the evidence that man’s best friend had been there as well? Although most dog owners do the right thing and pick up after their pets, the truth is that many don’t, and with the hundreds of thousands of dogs in San Diego County that means more pollution for our watersheds. Pet waste carries bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can threaten the health of humans and animals, and that’s why it’s very important that we always “doo” the right thing and “scoop the poop”. Pet waste that isn’t picked up can get carried by rainwater into storm drains. Since our storm water does not get treated, the bacteria- rich dog waste will likely end up in our rivers and eventually in the ocean.

I Love A Clean San Diego has partnered with the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program to encourage San Diego dog owners to commit to picking up their dog’s waste. We’ll be attending various community events throughout San Diego County and surveying dog owners on how often they pick up their pet’s waste on their property. Results from the 2011 surveys show that 70% of rural San Diego dog owners are already doing the right thing, and by participating in these events we hope that that number will grow. And why wouldn’t dog owners want to do the right thing? Responsible pet waste management keeps yards and feet clean, and also protects the quality of our region’s creeks, lakes, and beaches.

If you happen to see us at a community event around San Diego, please stop by our booth and sign the pledge to commit to picking up your pet’s waste to protect our watersheds!

What does Spring mean to you?

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Marketing Intern, Christina Etchebarren!

Spring is in the air, and this week it’s finally here! This season brings extended daylight, rising temperatures, and the rebirth of flora and fauna. The word equinox comes from the Latin words meaning “equal night”, the name explains the time of the year when the day and night are of equal length. The vernal equinox signals the commencement of the Earth’s rejuvenation in the Northern Hemisphere.

Spring is the time when hibernating bears, hedgehogs and bumblebees emerge from their hiding places to stretch their sleepy legs. The days are a flutter with renewed signs of life everywhere you turn and the spirit of starting anew begins to take hold. Spring has been celebrated throughout human history as a time of organic and spiritual rebirth following the “dying of the year” in winter.

Spring cleaning may hold different meanings to different folks, to some it may mean clearing out stale energy from their lives, and to others it may quite literally mean cleaning out their cluttered garage. Deep cleaning around the house can sometimes pose a daunting challenge, I remember when my mom started mentioning our spring cleaning day I would immediately start think of reasonable excuses to duck out.

Maybe you’re an annual spring cleaner, and your accumulation of junk isn’t as daunting, but maybe you have put it off a few years, in that case spring cleaning this year may mean many hours of hard labor.

We at ILACSD know that it’s sometimes hard to distinguish between stuff that needs to be thrown away and things that can be recycled when it all looks like a huge heap in front of you. WasteFreeSD.org has been recently revamped in order to make recycling difficult items a whole lot easier. Whether you don’t know how to properly dispose of toxic materials, or simply need to know where the closest place to drop off your leftover paint, motor oil etc. the website will help you take your unwanted materials where they need to go.

As we step in to spring time, embrace the warm fresh air and try to give ourselves a fresh clean slate, keep in mind improper disposal of many household items can have devastating effects on the environment. As a part of our ongoing effort to keep San Diego clean, beautiful & healthy, we want you to keep WasteFreeSD.org on hand to help you through this years’ spring cleaning, and all of your future.

Get a free oil filter and save our local environment!

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Hotline Assistant, Barbara Lopez!

Many of us know that it is important to recycle used motor oil, but did you know that recycling the oil filter is just as important? One used oil filter contains about 10 ounces of used oil, even after draining, and therefore should not be thrown in the trash. By recycling your oil filter, you prevent used oil from entering our landfills, our water supply, and our environment. Also, recycling an oil filter keeps about one pound of reusable steel from going to the landfill. According to CalRecycle, if each oil filter sold in California was recycled, nearly 67 million pounds of steel would be diverted from landfills; that’s enough steel to build three large sports stadiums!

To encourage residents to recycle their old oil filters, the County of San Diego, Department of Public Works and I Love A Clean San Diego will be holding oil filter exchange events on March 23, 2013. Residents of the unincorporated county can visit one of the participating AutoZone locations, bring in a used filter and receive a new one free. In addition to oil filters, residents can also bring in up to five gallons of uncontaminated used motor oil to recycle.

If you are unable to attend these events, there are other options available to properly recycle used oil filters and motor oil. Some communities offer a free home pick up of used motor oil and filters. Also, there are nearly 300 Certified Used Oil Collection Centers in San Diego County that accept up to five gallons of uncontaminated used motor oil; many of these collection centers will also accept oil filters for recycling. If you have motor oil that is contaminated or more than five gallons of uncontaminated motor oil, visit a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility for proper disposal. To see if free home pick up of used motor oil is available in your community or to find a Certified Collection Center near you, visit WasteFreeSD.org.

Upcoming Oil Filter Exchange Events
All events will be held on Saturday March 23, 2013 from 10am-2pm. Limit one free filter per person. Free offer valid during specified date, time, and location.

Fallbrook
AutoZone at 1081 S. Mission Ave., Fallbrook 92028

Lakeside
AutoZone at 12421 Woodside Ave., Lakeside 92040

Ramona
AutoZone at 370 Pala St., Ramona 92065

Spring Valley
AutoZone at 699 Sweetwater Rd., Spring Valley 91977
AutoZone at 9710 Campo Rd., Spring Valley 91978

To find out about additional recycling events, visit WasteFreeSD.org today!

clean water community outreach programs environment oil recycling recycling water pollution prevention

Celebrating Education, Environment and Dr. Seuss

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Marketing Intern and UCSD student, Christina Etchebarren!

suesscakeUCSD — In 1995, UCSD’s Library was renamed Geisel Library in honor of Theodor and Audrey for their generous contributions and dedication to improving literacy.

It’s that special time of year again, where we San Diegans celebrate the life and works of one of our own, Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel! This past weekend marked what would have been the writers’ 109^th birthday. It’s always a special time walking down library walk at UCSD and seeing everyone gather around a giant inflatable birthday cake situated outside the building that houses his legacy. When freshman first step foot in front of the famous library, the first thing they learn is about is why it was named after Dr. Seuss and how he and his wife Audrey, generously supported UCSD’s efforts to keep students reading.

Dr. Seuss’ birthday has been adopted as National Read Across America Day, which is an initiative curated by the National Education Association to encourage school aged children to incorporate reading for fun in to their everyday life.

We at I love A Clean San Diego share a common passion with Dr. Seuss, and that is our dedication to education and to conserving our environment. Dr. Seuss’ 1971 book “The Lorax” gives us the clearest view of the writer’s position on environmentalism and the human predicament. This children’s book, which was then considered radical commentary on eco-politics, is now renowned for the simple yet powerful message warning society about the dangers of over development and lack of sustainable living. This sort of level-headed environmentalism wasn’t common in the early ‘70’s and environmental activism was viewed as a sort of hippie nonsense. But it was the nonsensical whims of an exceedingly creative mind that brought children and adults alike to change their perception of the costs of human impact.

We citizens of San Diego are lucky to be able to lay claim to such a brilliant and forward thinking mind such as Dr. Seuss. If you look closely at the native trees and shrubs, you’ll notice an uncanny resemblance to the whacky illustrations of the plant life present on his colorful pages. His creative and inspiring messages live on in the spirit of today’s society and, no doubt, have an extra special place in the hearts of San Diegans.

ILACSD takes top honors for keeping butts off the beach

Today’s post comes from ILACSD’s Development & Marketing Coordinator, Jessica Green!

As our volunteers know all too well, cigarette butts are a huge litter problem here in San Diego and the most common item we pick up at cleanup events. Earlier this month, we were excited to receive first place honors for our Cigarette Litter Prevention Program during Keep America Beautiful’s 60th anniversary National Conference in Washington, DC!

KAB13-Conference — ILACSD’s Executive Director, Pauline Martinson (right) and Director of Community Events, Natalie Roberts (left) with KAB’s CEO, Matt McKenna.

The CLPP works to reduce cigarette litter by raising awareness about the issue, placing ash receptacles in places where people commonly gather to smoke, such as entrances to public buildings and busy street corners, and distributing pocket ashtrays to smokers.

Defeating cigarette butt litter is a huge undertaking, and we couldn’t do it without our strong partnerships with local businesses, community organizations and the San Diego Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Working together has allowed us to significantly reduce the flow of cigarette butts into storm drains and eventually to the ocean.

To give you a quick glance at the impact the CLPP has had here in San Diego, here are a few stats from local areas where the program is currently in place:

In La Jolla, CLPP ashcans collect an average of 31 butts per day. Volunteers collected 11,708 butts from 10 ashcans in a 3 month time period and have seen a 34% decrease in littered cigarette butts in that area.

In Point Loma, more than 800 cigarette butts were collected from 6 ashcans in the first month after installation. We’ve seen a 58% decrease in littered cigarette butts in that area.

In La Mesa, one of our most recent expansion areas, we’ve seen an 84% decrease in cigarette butt litter and the ashcans collect an average of 180 cigarette butts per ashcan, per month. That’s a total of 3,800 in 3 months.

In North Park we’ve seen 24% decrease in cigarette butt litter and in Oceanside a 74% decrease in cigarette butt litter in target area.

In addition to being recognized for our CLPP, ILACSD has a long history with Keep America Beautiful dating back to the 1960’s. ILACSD, which back then was the War Against Litter Committee, received many honors from KAB in the 60’s before becoming part of the KAB Affiliate network in the 1970’s. Keep America Beautiful is best known for their “Crying Indian” PSA which first aired on Earth Day in 1971 and featured American Indian actor, Iron Eyes Cody.

In case you weren’t around back then, or just want a reminder of this little gem, here’s the full PSA for your viewing pleasure:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR06-RP3n0Q]