SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — When it comes to cleaning up during times of COVID, there are ways you can do it safely. And the people at I Love a Clean San Diego say it’s more important to help clean up now than ever before. That's because the amount of trash is increasing with all of people’s take out containers and the types of trash are also changing with PPE.
“You're not encouraged to have large gatherings which is what we're used to doing especially for big coastal cleanup events,” said Ian Monahan with I Love a Clean San Diego.
But the cleanups are still happening, and they still need to happen.
"We need to do it right now at an increased more urgent rate,” Monahan said.
Even though we're going through coronavirus concerns, Monahan points out how urgent cleaning up is, causing a whole different type of crisis.
"It's estimated by 2050 there will be more plastic in oceans than fish,” he said.
That's why San Diegans are being encouraged to step outside and pick up. ILACSD urges people to do so with masks on and use litter grabbers that they have available along with sturdy gloves and reusable buckets.
Anywhere you live in San Diego County, you're in one of the 11 watersheds. But why is that important?
When it comes to trash, whatever you see around you and, in your neighborhood, goes into our water.
“Anything that goes in a gutter, in a creek, in a river or down a street, it's all in a watershed and going into the ocean,” Monahan said. “Plastic does not break down ever, so we've got to keep it out of our ocean.”
Cigarette butts are still the number one tossed piece of junk and are plastic, not paper so they don't break down. Lately, things like salsa containers and to-go styrofoam containers, and thick plastic grocery bags are all being found in abundance across San Diego beaches and beyond.
"The bottom line is, yes, there's more trash on the streets,” said Monahan. “It is a result of increased packaging.”
One solution to that? Say “no.” Tell restaurants you don't want their plastic utensils or to-go sauces and tell grocery stores you don't need their bags and load up at your car instead.
It's also important to throw away PPE like gloves and masks properly. They're being found all over San Diego - a sad and frustrating sign of the times.
"People were surprised at what they found hiding in their own parks,” Monahan said.
As volunteers are proving, a pandemic doesn't mean we should forget about our planet. Throughout the month of September, cleanups will be happening in neighborhoods each Saturday. And on Sept. 26, San Diegans can take part in the International Coastal Cleanup Day by picking up trash in your community. Volunteers can register at CleanupDay.org to officially participate and record their cleanup totals.
"This year, we are not organizing specific sites to avoid large group gatherings," said Executive Director at I Love A Clean San Diego, Len Hering. "Rather, we encourage residents to help their community close to home with immediate family and friends, and engage with us through social media to show their impact.”
An event-day kickoff will be broadcast on Facebook Live on I Love A Clean San Diego’s Facebook page to get participants motivated for the day and to share cleanup tips and safety information.