PRESS RELEASE: Community Clean Team Celebrated Earth Day - 4/15/16

For immediate release: April 15, 2016

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

COMMUNITY CLEAN TEAM CELEBRATES EARTH DAY ON SATURDAY

Volunteers to Beautify City Parks, Streets and Community Centers in District 5

San Francisco, CA –  More than 200 volunteers are expected to join Board of Supervisors President London Breed and San Francisco Public Works on Saturday at the Community Clean Team Earth Day celebration to  beautify and clean parks, streets and community centers in the Haight, the Western Addition and other District 5 neighborhoods.

• What: Community Clean Team Earth Day Celebration

• Date: Saturday, April 16, 2016

• Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (speaking program starts at 9 a.m.)

• Location: Kickoff at Stanyan/ Waller streets, eastern edge of Golden Gate Park

• Who: District 5 Supervisor London Breed, City crews and community volunteers

The Community Clean Team will celebrate Earth Day with volunteers, businesses and community partners in District 5 on Saturday with work projects that include landscaping, tree care, planting, graffiti removal and litter pickup to improve our neighborhoods. A thank-you lunch will be provided at the end of the work day to all participants.

Earth Day, which originated in the United States but is now recognized internationally, was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Every year on Earth Day, people plant trees, clean up garbage and advocate for a healthier, more sustainable environment.

Photo opportunities at Saturday’s event include:

• Park beautification around Alvord Lake in Golden Gate Park and at Alamo Square

• Pruning vines, weeding and litter pick up at the intersection of Fillmore and Geary streets

• Weeding, pruning, mulching and tree basin care around the African American Arts and Cultural Center and Ella Hill Hutch Community Center

• Abating graffiti and refreshing street furniture along Stanyan Street (Parnassus to Fell)

• Weeding, planting and mulching around the San Francisco Housing Authority Plaza East property

Community Clean Team is Public Works’ largest and longest-running volunteer program. Established in 2000, Community Clean Team has since logged more than 165,000 volunteer hours, added more than 33,500 plants to public spaces, and removed more than 3.5 million square feet of graffiti.

Information about volunteering opportunities can be found at http://sfpublicworks.org/get_involved/volunteer

Sponsors and community and partner organizations include: 76, Starbucks, Walgreens, Emerald Fund, Recology, The Hilton, Academy of Art University, PG&E, Luxor Cabs, SF Clean City Coalition, Local 261, San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco Housing Authority, Juvenile Probation Program, Project 20 Pretrial Diversion Program, Rec and Park, Community Youth Center, Chinese Newcomers Service Center, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, SFPD Collaborative, San Francisco Parks Alliance, United Playaz, Tzu-Chi Foundation, SF Geo Care, University of San Francisco, and Taking it to the Streets. 

About San Francisco Public Works: The 24/7 City agency cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and nurtures City-maintained street trees; designs, constructs and maintains City-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; builds curb ramps; eradicates graffiti; partners with neighborhoods; trains people for jobs; greens the right of way; and educates our communities.