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Volunteers Wanted for 9th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup

Friday, 29 April 2011
Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216

You can make a difference this weekend by volunteering at the 9th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup, taking place Saturday, April 30 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

There are 75 cleanup sites throughout San Diego County, stretching from Rainbow all the way to the border.

Visit the I Love a Clean San Diego, Creek to Bay web site to find cleanup sites in your neighborhood and sign up for the event. You can also call 619-704-2773 with any questions, or to sign up a group if you have more than 25 volunteers in your group.

This year’s event includes 49 inland cleanup sites, so volunteers can pick up trash at from urban areas, creeks, and rivers.

“Trash and debris builds up in our creeks and rivers, and then flows downstream during storms,” said Phil Gibbons, Assistant Environmental Specialist at the Port of San Diego. “An excess of trash in our waterways and along our coastline degrades natural habitats, disturbs wildlife and ultimately affects our quality of life.”

Volunteers at this year's event are asked to bring a reusable water bottle, and to wear comfortable closed toed shoes and long pants. Trained site captains will supply all equipment, including commemorative event reusable work gloves to use during the cleanup, and to take home to use for future volunteer work. You can help reduce the event's carbon footprint even more by bringing your own bucket or burlap bag to use to minimize plastic bag waste at the cleanup.

The Port of San Diego is the lead agency for the San Diego Bay Watershed Urban Runoff Management Program workgroup, an event sponsor. This workgroup is comprised of representatives from the seven cities that are located along the watershed, as well as staff from the County of San Diego and the San Diego Regional Airport Authority.

Their goal is to reduce urban runoff pollution and safeguard water quality within the San Diego Bay Watershed.

The Port of San Diego has several programs to help improve the health of San Diego Bay and the tidelands. In 2006, an environmental fund was created to pay for projects that go beyond state and federal regulations. Since then, $5.9 million has been allocated for more than 60 projects, most of which have been completed. These include enhancing fish habitats in San Diego Bay, restoring the J Street salt marsh in Chula Vista and constructing osprey nesting platforms throughout the Port tidelands.

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• Learn more about Project Clean Water