One of the many ways to participate in this year’s Earth Week is by participating in community-based cleanups to help the planet. Pacifica Beach Coalition is holding cleanups around the peninsula, and Pelican Fest at Linda Mar beach on Saturday, April 26.
The Pacifica Beach Coalition was started in 1997 by Jim Fithian and Ana Garcia as a way to clean up Linda Mar Beach. Jim is currently the board chair, president, and site captain at Linda Mar Beach.
“In 1997, we were walking down the beach, we had just moved to Pacifica, and we saw trash on the beach. We thought, oh, that’s terrible, all the trash, and we said, wait a minute, why don’t we just pick it up? So we started picking up the trash.”
It started as a small group of people picking up trash on the Linda Mar Beach, and it has grown since then, holding beach and community cleanups along the peninsula for over twenty years. Their mission has grown to promote education about environmental changes and preserve the coastal habitat.
Lynn Adams, who has been a part of the organization since 2000 and President since 2007, stated the necessity for the cleanups and why they are passionate about the project.
“I just wanted to do something, and then I started helping with the cleanups and started leading some cleanups at Sharp Park. I recognized that this feels good to me, and everybody deserves that, and if we all do a little something, it makes a big difference.”
The Pacifica Beach Coalition holds many different events, including assemblies at schools, weekly beach cleanups, and the largest event, Pelican Fest, held on Earth Day.
Pelican Fest is held on a Saturday close to Earth Day each year. It includes a beach clean-up in the morning on Linda Mar Beach and other places along the peninsula. Additionally, there is a celebration with activities, food, and speakers.
Shari Bookstaff, the coalition’s marine biology advisor, joined the organization because she loves the ocean. She is also a Skyline professor who teaches marine and animal biology. As this year’s activities coordinator, she talks about her favorite parts of Earth Day and Pelican Fest.
“All the people so engaged with the ocean, with the conservation, and with the community. As well as kids being leaders in the events.”
Part of the coalition’s goal is to educate the community on the effects of climate change and caring for the environment. There are a lot of ways we can contribute, but by being aware and also by participating in beach and community cleanups, anyone can do something for the Earth.
“Anything that you throw in the ocean can end up anywhere in the world,” Shari stated.
Shari also teaches an online course, BIOG 150, at Skyline for students who are interested in marine biology.
The cleanups and events have added greatly to the members’ and volunteers’ lives. It is an opportunity to get outside, build connections with other people, and do something to protect our environment.
“I’ve never gone to a clean-up and not learned something,” Lynn said.
For anyone interested, the Earth Day cleanup and Pelican Fest are at Linda Mar Beach on April 26th, and Pacific Beach Coalition holds cleanups at multiple locations along the peninsula monthly.
