Volunteers Needed To Help Clean Up Marin

PRESS RELEASE AND PHOTO SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY COUNTY OF MARIN:

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Beyond being unsightly, trash pollutes Marin’s waterways and is detrimental to the environment and wildlife. The Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) is looking for environmentally driven volunteers to help the Clean Marin initiative engage the public in reducing trash through organized volunteer efforts. Community members interested in joining the cause are encouraged to fill out MCSTOPPP’s new survey.

The inaugural Trash Summit, held Nov. 1 in San Rafael, promoted the Clean Marin initiative by empowering and strategizing collaborative litter prevention and cleanup efforts between community members and local government. The practice is similar to other successful models of public-private partnership coalitions, including RxSafe Marin and Yard Smart Marin. The event, hosted by MCSTOPPP and a handful of local anti-litter coalitions, drew more than 100 people who are passionate about reducing litter and improving Marin’s environment. Guest speakers included David Lewis of Save the Bay, Marin County Supervisors Dennis Rodoni and Katie Rice, and Clean Marin leaders from Clean Mill Valley, San Rafael Clean,Novato Streetscape Committee, All One Ocean, and Marin Clean Highways.

Based on the positive feedback from the Trash Summit, Clean Marin is organizing action teams that will meet to set specific, achievable goals during the next year. Effectively removing trash from the environment is a complicated issue, and there is a wide spectrum of activities that the action teams could undertake.

“There are many ways to disrupt the cycle of trash that clutters streets and gets into the waterways,” said Rob Carson, Administrator of MCSTOPPP. “Progress can be made through direct trash clean-up events, increasing community commitment to recycling and composting, reducing trash flying out of cars on highways, and education outreach to children and adults about the importance of reducing litter.”

Based on the Trash Summit, people expressed interest in forming action teams to work on four main areas:

• Volunteer cleanup – forming or joining a Clean Marin group, Adopt-a-Spot program, Clean Business Program, and other similar activities
• Source control & zero waste – product bans, recycling, waste bin management, producer responsibility
• Clean highways – Highway 101, Adopt-a-Highway, Caltrans partnership, California Highway Patrol/local police enforcement, Tarp Your Load events
• Outreach & education – Clean Marin press, educating/engaging youth, creek education, marketing, public service announcements

Potential volunteers with ideas or questions should contact Angela Clapp at MCSTOPPP. To learn about the many ways to reduce pollutants in our waterways, visit the MCSTOPPP website.

Photo via County of Marin