CESP helps the City of Albany and the Watershed Project clean up the Albany Shoreline

Report from the Watershed Project: We had a wonderful Earth Day Clean Up and Celebration on Sunday April 19 at the Albany shoreline. A total of 135 participants, 82 adults and 53 kids picked up 415 pounds of trash and 62 pounds of recycling! Those are great numbers, considering that we asked participants to focus on plastic debris. Light weight plastic trash, including small bits and pieces, is the most prevalent form of debris and also the most harmful in the environment.

Albany/Berkeley Girl Scout Troop 1815 and Cub Scout Troop 505 joined the event for their Earth Day service projects. Ms. Zmich’s third grade class at Cornell Elementary School won a contest for a free presentation from The Watershed Project for sending the most parents and students to the event.

The event was enhanced by the involvement of many key volunteers who assisted with activities, and contributions from local organizations and businesses. The Citizens for East Shore Parks staffed a display table at the event, helped with publicity, and recruited volunteers. Noah’s Bagels, Sunnyside Café, and Safeway donated refreshments to feed the clean up volunteers.

The participants also enjoyed a number of additional activities we offered for all ages. A fishing and recycling game was fun and educational for young children, and the Trash Time Line interactive display and Pollution Soup skit were entertaining and informative for both older children and adults. Families and adults took part in the Nature Walk and in Creating Art from Trash and Treasures, and learned about sources and patterns of trash deposition and some of the natural and human history of the bulb. Many thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who attended!

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