Bayside Cleanup: Small Actions, Big Impact

Charlotte Guglielmi

As climate change and pollution continue to threaten our world in visible ways, it’s clear that human behavior plays a major role, especially when it comes to littering. Every day, countless people carelessly throw their trash on streets, parks, and beaches, hurting local wildlife and polluting the planet. Because of this, the Burlingame Youth Advisory Committee wanted to be part of the solution by organizing a hands-on event that could make a local difference while also raising awareness about environmental issues.

This past spring, we hosted a free environmental cleanup at Bayside Park to promote sustainability and encourage collective action. Our goal was simple: to clean up our local environment and remind ourselves that even small efforts can add up to make a meaningful difference.

There were about 30 participants who came out to support the cause, and after two hours, we collected over 240 pounds of litter from the park and surrounding shore. From discarded plastic to forgotten food wrappers, our group helped restore a cleaner, safer space for both people and wildlife.

Volunteers have shared that the experience opened their eyes to the amount of waste that ends up in environments and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling daily. Also, many left the clean up ready to take more eco-conscious actions. 

For other youth groups or student organizations hoping to do something similar, we recommend partnering with your local parks department and gathering supplies like reusable gloves, trash bags, and even providing prices for the participants. By creating a welcoming and purposeful space, we helped people take that first step into climate activism.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in and supported the cleanup! Events like these show the power of youth leadership in creating real environmental change. We’re looking forward to organizing more cleanups in the future and hope it encourages others to get involved because real environmental change begins right here in our communities.

Image credit: iStock