Havens students join the California Coastal Clean-up Effort
On Saturday, September 21, about a dozen Havens students and our 2nd grade teacher, Mr. Taylor joined the Golden Gate Audubon Society at the MLK, Jr Shoreline for California Coastal Clean-up Day. “There is so much trash!” many of the students observed, as they picked up everything from broken pieces of plastic to old chip bags to empty water bottles. When the tide comes in, it drops of trash from 5 streams on this area of the shoreline before it reaches the Bay.
The shoreline area just east of the Oakland Airport is home to several kinds of water birds, including the Black-necked Stilt (a masked slender bird) and the California Clapper Rail (nicknamed the marsh hen). Some of the students observed Double Crested Cormorants drying out their wings near Elmhurst Creek. The trash, in particular the tiny pieces of plastic, often looks like food. Water birds can ingest it, causing them to get sick or feel full but not have had any real nutrition.
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Havens students collected 18 bags of trash, which is about 90 pounds of trash in the short time before the rain really started coming down. Kisha, our guide from the Golden Gate Audubon Society was impressed: “Havens Elementary was awesome. Some of the kids-girls didn't even want to leave when it started pouring.” It was difficult to leave knowing that there was still so much more to do.
Havens Community Service Crew hopes to continue our relationship with Golden Gate Audubon Society. To learn more about Havens Community Service Crew, email us at havenscrew@gmail.com