The Watershed Project's Earth Day Events

Step-up and Clean-up: Take the Earth Day Shoreline and Creeks Challenge!

Richmond, California – April 24, 2010 – Earth Day is an opportunity for citizens to take action and mitigate environmental problems caused by trash and marine debris in their local watershed.

The rusty innards of a car, an old dilapidated mattress and a prehistoric personal computer from the 1980s rests on a veil of plastic that consists of bottles, caps and grocery bags. Sounds like a junkyard, right? Unfortunately, this list just details a few of the items found by volunteers during the West Contra Costa County Creeks and Shoreline Challenge on Earth Day 2009.

Marine debris and trash plague the San Francisco Bay Watershed. Littering and dumping in riparian habitats has long lasting, detrimental effects on local wildlife and water quality. In April 2009, The Watershed Project worked in conjunction with volunteers and accomplished an astonishing feat by removing a total of 4,415 lbs of trash from the Albany shoreline and Baxter, Wildcat, and San Pablo Creeks.

The Watershed Project hopes to further promote San Francisco Bay Watershed health by inspiring Bay Area communities to revitalize, protect, and appreciate their local watershed. Earth Day 2010 is a perfect opportunity for local citizens to come out with their families, friends and neighbors to participate in our Shoreline and Creeks Challenge on Saturday, April 24 from 9:00am-12:00pm.

Individuals or groups can join a Shoreline and Creeks Challenge Team at one of the following sites:
•Wildcat Creek: Meet at 23rd St. and Brookside Ave, San Pablo (near Grocery Outlet)
•Wildcat Creek: Meet at Verde Elementary, 2000 Giaramita St., Richmond
•Wildcat Creek: Meet at East Bay Regional Park – Wildcat Staging Area, located off the Richmond Parkway between Gertrude Ave. and Pittsburg Ave.
•Baxter Creek: Meet at Richmond Gateway, 11965 San Pablo Ave.
•San Pablo Creek: Meet at The Boys and Girls Club, 4660 Appian Way, El Sobrante
•Albany Shoreline: Meet at end of Buchanan St., on the Albany Waterfront
•Shimada Friendship Park: Meet at the Shimada parking lot by taking the I-580 to S. 23rd St./Marina Bay Parkway exit, continuing onto Marina Bay Parkway, left after Breakers into the Shimada parking lot.

Contact:
Juliana Gonzalez
(510) 665-3597
Juliana [at] thewatershedproject.org
1327 South 46th Street
155 Richmond Field Station
Richmond, CA 94804