On Saturday, September 21, 2024, ESAL, in collaboration with Eden Youth and City of San Leandro Public Works, hosted a community cleanup initiative, bringing together volunteers from San Leandro and surrounding cities to make a positive impact on the local environment. This event highlighted STEM in action, with residents applying scientific inquiry to the waste observed and collecting data for future use in the Ocean Conservancy’s global ocean trash database. This collaborative effort also served as a temporary resilience hub site, demonstrating the community’s ability to come together to proactively promote environmental stewardship with every piece of trash picked-up and starting informal conversations about planetary and human health.
The community cleanup was a resounding success, showcasing the positive impact that local STEM initiatives can have on the environment and community. By engaging volunteers, partnering with local organizations, and recognizing the efforts of all participants, the event was able to make a significant difference in the community with a tangible impact post-cleanup. Beyond the immediate difference in the environment, one of the other goals of the cleanup was to spark conversations related to the trash being collected, while also promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a policy strategy that encourages product manufacturers to take product disposal into account when designing products and packaging. The ‘Keep It Local’ community cleanup initiative demonstrated the power of collective action in addressing environmental challenges. By removing trash and recycling, volunteers not only improved the cleanliness and aesthetics of their neighborhoods in an immediate manner but helped protect local ecosystems. The event also fostered a sense of community and encouraged individuals to take ownership of their environment.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024, from 9AM to 12PM PST
Location: Marina Inn and Various Locations Throughout California
Participants: Approximately 30 volunteers
Key Highlights
Successful Main Cleanup: Over 300 pounds of trash and recycling were collected at the Marina Inn event, with a significant number of cigarette butts sent to Terracycle for recycling.
Community-Wide Engagement: Smaller cleanups were organized in neighborhoods across the city, fostering a sense of local pride and ownership.
Volunteer Recognition: ‘Keep It Local’ gift cards were awarded to all volunteers and partners, supporting small businesses in the area and acknowledging their valuable contributions.
Generous Sponsorship: Ava Community Energy provided a $2,500 sponsorship, enabling the event to offer prizes to all participants while stimulating the local economy through gift cards.
Partnerships: Collaborations with Eden Youth strengthened the impact of the cleanup efforts and increased outreach using social media tools inviting youth participation.
How to get involved
In true DIY (Do-It-Yourself) punk rock spirit, participants were encouraged to organize their own cleanups or support organizations like National Stewardship Action Council working toward the vision of the United States attaining an equitable and circular economy.
For individuals not ready to host their own cleanups, Engagement Volunteer and Civic Scientist, Cynthia Prieto-Diaz with Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally, will be organizing a citywide community cleanup in the Central Valley in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (Monday, January 20, 2025, 9am-12pm PST), hoping to inspire individuals to cleanup their own streets, wherever they may be, using free resources like Drains to Ocean, and apps like Clean Swell to collect valuable data, so that the information can later be accessed through the TIDES (Trash Information and Data for Education and Solutions) website and analyzed for impact.
Special thanks to the following organizations and individuals:
Ava Community Energy
California Coastal Commission
Eden Youth (Trinity Sines, Policy Coordinator | Luis Santos Hernandez, Community Engagement Specialist)
Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (Taylor Spicer, MDP, Executive Director)
City of San Leandro Public Works
Marina Inn on the San Francisco Bay (Hector Marquina, Front Office Manager)
Torani (In-Kind Donations)
Terracycle (In-Kind Donation, One (1) Cigarette Receptacle Gifted to Marina Inn)
