On a sunny morning, September 9th, PMI SF Bay Area Chapter volunteers gathered at San Francisco’s Martin Luther King Jr. Pool for the 2023 Bayview Beautification Day. 

 

The Sustainability Program’s sixth event of 2023, the day was an excellent opportunity for volunteers to engage in environmental stewardship, learn about local pollution, and help mitigate the damage caused by it.

 

Walking block to block, we were able to see first-hand the types of litter that were most common and better understand the challenges residents and local communities face in keeping the sidewalks litter-free. Among the expected plastics, we encountered piles of personal trash on more than one occasion, suggesting illegal dumping of trash. A particular category of item that stood out to me was the large number of cigarette butts along residential buildings, meridians, and curb areas. Cigarette butts are carcinogenic pollutants that leach concentrated toxins into the soil and have the potential to be washed into waterways, affecting the aquatic environment. Many of the cigarettes removed by volunteers were located in soil or at the base of plants, hindering their growth and endangering pollinators and birds. 

 

 

I was personally very glad to have the opportunity to clear these away and found it a rewarding experience to be part of this effort of beautifying the neighborhood for the local community.

 

The event, attended by 40 volunteers from PMI SFBAC, From the Heart2, and neighborhood volunteers, included three different routes around the neighborhood and together over the next 1.5 hours volunteers bagged over 100 bags of trash!

 

The transformation as the volunteers cleared each street was gratifying and drove home what we can accomplish when we come together to improve our neighborhoods and environment. 

 

At the end of the cleanup, volunteers were able to network while enjoying excellent coffee and waffles from the local cafe Bloomstock, fresh pastries courtesy of From the Heart2, and complementary out-of-the-oven wood oven pizza from Bayview Pasta, thanks to the sponsorship of San Francisco Fire Fighters local 798. 

 

Special thanks for organizing this event goes to PMI SFBAC’s Sustainability Program Manager Doug Hahn, who coordinated the event in collaboration with key organizers Barbara Tassa and her husband Brian; non-profits RefuseRefuseSF, Shine On, and TogetherSF; and the San Francisco Department of Public Works and San Francisco Fire Fighters local 798.

 

The PMI SFBAC Sustainability Program or “Green Team” organizes regular events like the Bayview Beautification Day to educate and engage attendees on environmental stewardship, sustainable practices, and important discussions on sustainable topics led by industry experts.

The Sustainability Program has two events planned for next week! “Stormwater: Friend or Foe?” is this coming Wednesday on October 4th at 5:15pm. Attendees will learn about green infrastructure, how San Francisco is managing stormwater, and earn 1.5 PDUs. The next in person event is right after- “Living Arroyos Service Day”- in the city of Livermore on Saturday October 7th at 8:45am. Attendees will improve local habitat by planting native riparian vegetation, learn about watershed issues, and strengthen regional flood protection. Participants will earn 2.75 PDUs for attending the event.

 

Author: Elizabeth Nash