Earth Day of Action a Pacifica event for all ... and our Ocean

Hi All,

In light of the very tight budget for the City of Pacifica, City Staff and Council have looked at cutting all NGO (non-government org) expenses and included in that is the $3000 contribution that they have given to the PBC to help organize Earth Day/Coastal Cleanup Day and the entire year's worth of cleanups.  

After weeks of deliberation, consideration, and considerable heartache several things have become crystal clear to me.  

• Earth Day / CCCD are city events currently organized with the sweat equity of volunteers of the Pacifica Beach Coalition to help our dwindling bare bones Public Works staff to keep the City of Pacifica clean and to protect our most valuable asset - the ocean.
• PBC has contributed 1000's of volunteer hours to organize, recruit, educate, inspire, and retain 1000's of Earth Heroes for everyday environmental actions since 1997 with an expanded target of our streets, parks, bluffs, open spaces, parking lots, shopping centers since 2005
• A clean and healthy Pacifica is only possible with the invested partnerships of the City, businesses, community groups, schools, families, and individuals. 
• The burden of ED and CCCD can not fall solely onto the PBC for this is not sustainable nor should it be taken for granted
• An investment from the City of Pacifica as small as $3000 is absolutely needed to ensure the work continues and to demonstrate the City's acceptance of its duty to protect the environment.  
• A healthy ocean and clean Pacifica is worth the investment and can only happen if we all work together to educate, inspire, and enlist everyone (young and old) and make it happen.
  
• From 2005 - 2009  the ED and CCCD events alone have removed over 60 tons of Trash, Recycles, and Green Waste and engaged over 44,000 volunteers who provided 488,000 or more volunteer hours. 
• Results of ED show that Pacifica's streets are cleaner because of the increased stewardship work.  Between 2010 - 2012 over 45 Cu.Yd of trash and recycles were collected on ED alone.  In 2013 and 2014 the amount dropped to 15Cu.Yds even though the area cleaned increased.    
• These events have inspired people to reduce waste, pick up litter, weed public places, care for our parks and open spaces, speak up for the environment, work together, and to do this every day not just for ED.      

   "The Sea defines us.  We are a coastal community…a beach town.  Our greatest physical asset is the Pacific Ocean (hence the name Pacifica), and the fingers of sand that we call our beaches.  Our districts, once whistle stops along the Ocean Shore Railroad, are named after the strand of beaches from Manor to Linda Mar.  The Sea defines us. 

   Now, more than ever, the health of the world’s ocean depends on the collective actions of concerned world citizens.  I would extend that to say that the financial health of Pacifica is also dependent upon the health of our ocean and its beaches.  I am referring to both the water quality and the condition/cleanliness of the beach face.  Years ago we as a community acknowledged our asset and did our part at considerable cost, to build a tertiary treatment plant so that our waste water would be cleaned up and not pollute our asset.  Our visitor based businesses are serving beachgoers…and those who come to take in the view, visiting our asset.

   To borrow a line from Dr. Sylvia Earle, “No Blue, No Green.” The health of the ocean determines the capacity for life on land.  If clean and pristine beaches translate into our Green, or dollars spent in Pacifica, how can we afford not to support all efforts to maintain our asset?

   The Pacifica Beach Coalition, and all of the other environmental and civic organizations that support it, have collectively helped to maintain our asset through volunteerism.  The coalition advocates stewardship, educates the citizenry and inspires them to act.  They organize and oversee the thousands of human hours that it takes to maintain an invaluable asset, not once, but week after week, year after year. 

   Lest we forget our human assets.  Lynn Adams, in a labor of love, has acted as point person to educate, organize and inspire our coastal community and countless organizations to act on behalf of Pacifica.  Lynn has partnered with Pacifica’s students to champion the effort to keep our neighborhoods, city streets, waterways and beaches clean.  Lynn and the Beach Coalition have inspired my students, and their families, your future and current constituents and tax payers to be stewards of our greatest asset.  She is an Earth Hero and she inspires the children to act like heroes.  Lead by example, because actions speak louder than words.

   You, the City of Pacifica, couldn’t afford to pay for all of the hours of service that have been dedicated to the environmental health and wellbeing of our community, under the direction of the Pacifica Beach Coalition.  Surely you are not so short sited or short funded that you would squander the harnessed energy and resources that are given in kind to the whole of your community under the direction of the Pacifica Beach Coalition.   

   We, citizens of Pacifica want to feel proud of our community and the choices that our representatives make.   We work hard on behalf of our home and our environment.  You can’t take the Ocean out of Pacifica.  See your way clear to support the Pacifica Beach Coalitions Mission. 

   The Sea Defines Us and Unites us."

by Virginia Szczepaniak

4/5 grade teacher at Ocean Shore School

36 year resident of Pacifica.

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Thank you to all of you who have joined the cleanup events or who conserve resources, pick up litter, restore habitat and speak up for the environment.  It is the job for all and only together can we help the ocean.   We need our governments financial investments along with our businesses and groups, and we need the volunteerism of everyone.  We can end litter, we can save the ocean and wildlife but it will take all of us and we must act now and invest in our future!