Editor's note: As COVID-19 infection rates decline in California, it should be mentioned that all Environmental All-Star volunteer activities were held in accordance with local and state protocol. These efforts are important to our company, and we are excited to resume beautifying the communities in which we serve.
It's that time of year again -- and just in time for Earth Week! In case you missed it, Team SDG&E Environmental All-Stars got together to help out our local communities. Thank you to all who participated, stayed safe and made a difference for their environment.
Creek to bay cleanup
On April 24, more than 140 volunteers participated in the largest environmental cleanup in San Diego County. Volunteers showed up with masks on to collect litter in their respective communities for the 19th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup.
While volunteers were encouraged to get outside, this year, they were advised to stay close to their home communities. Due to COVID-19, this is the second year that this event has moved away from in-person gatherings at specific sites. Instead, participants of all ages were invited to grab buckets and work gloves to walk their blocks. By joining forces with I Love A Clean San Diego, thousands of volunteers mobilized by cleaning up in their local neighborhood and removing litter from the streets around their houses.
No matter where you live in San Diego County, every gutter, street, parking lot, park, canyon and beach is in one of the county’s 11 watersheds, meaning that the health of these systems translates to healthier creeks and ocean for all of us!
Through hundreds of small efforts across the county, over 28,000 pounds of litter was collected and reported through the 2021 Creek to Bay Impact Map: https://love-cleansd.hub.arcgis.com/pages/creek-to-bay. For more details on I Love A Clean San Diego Creek to Bay cleanup, https://creektobay.org/
First pick
The following day (April 25), the Environmental All-Stars were back at it, this time partnering with ProduceGood to recover and upcycle edible organics to reduce waste and hunger across San Diego County.
On the fourth Sunday of every month, Team SDG&E volunteers will harvest fruit from different orchards around the county.
During Earth Week, volunteers gleaned lemons in Rancho Santa Fe. The bounty of harvested produce was donated to Jewish Family Services where it will be distributed to local individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.
About ProduceGood
In 2014, ProduceGood sprouted from the grassroots of their CropSwap program. Today CropSwap is ProduceGood’s Flagship program which enables different types of the backyard and small farm harvesting. By sourcing and harvesting the excess bounty in the county and creating access for those in need, they are working to solve the problem of hunger and waste.
The CropSwap program, which contributes 60 percent of its annual servings to San Diego County’s charitable food supply, relies heavily on volunteers throughout the year.
Learn more about ProduceGood and how to become a volunteer, https://producegood.org/
Through the Environmental All-Stars program, SDG&E employees regularly volunteer their time for a variety of projects in the community, ranging from building school gardens and installing solar panels for low-income residents to restoring habitats for endangered species.
In 2021, Team SDG&E has a full calendar of projects scheduled, including partnerships with San Diego River Park Foundation, Olivewood Gardens, Coastal Roots Farm, and many more.