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Willow Creek Litter Day. [All photos from Caltrans]Press release from Caltrans District 1:

Willow Creek Litter Day. [All photos from Caltrans]

Caltrans held its Litter Cleanup Day [yesterday] with crews and volunteers removing trash and debris along highways throughout the state. In Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino counties, today’s event included District 1 crews removing litter from area highways and a call out to our communities to join in by picking up litter in their neighborhoods and nearby parks.

Litter Cleanup Day is part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Clean California initiative, a sweeping $1.1 billion, multiyear effort led by Caltrans to keep roads and waterways free of litter, create thousands of jobs, and transform state and local public spaces through beautification efforts.

Cleanup in the Ukiah area.

“Litter on our roadways pollutes waterways, threatens wildlife and increases the risk of fire,” said Caltrans Acting Director Steven Keck. “Californians can be part of the solution by disposing of garbage responsibly, securing cargo properly and volunteering to collect litter through the Adopt-A-Highway program.”

Motorists can help prevent highway litter by following a few basic travel behaviors:

Cleanup along Hwy 20 in Lake County.

Cleanup along Hwy 20 in Lake County.

In January, Caltrans announced a Clean California incentive program that offers up to $250 per month to Adopt-A-Highway volunteers who pick up litter along state highways. Since its inception in 1989, more than 120,000 Californians have cleaned more than 15,000 shoulder-miles of roadside. The incentives augment the overall goals of the Clean California program to maintain and beautify the state’s roadways.

Since launching Clean California in July, Caltrans has removed more than 630,000 cubic yards of litter from state highways – the equivalent of 10,600 tons or enough to fill 193 Olympic-size swimming pools – and hired 700 new team members as part of Clean California, including 482 maintenance workers who collect litter and remove graffiti. For more information, visit CleanCA.com.

Caltrans crews from Humboldt County’s Bracut cleanup.

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So, how does one get on the email list to be call for the next volunteer clean-up day?

Litter cleanup day. Pfsh. One day? C’mon. I get that the volunteers are doing it year round, and I commend them for that. And that idiot litter bugs are being stupidly idiotic making a need for cleanup. But CalTrans? One day? Gotta look good for the tourists. And, good on Newsome, for a change, for trying to clean it up. But, how much of that $1.1B could be saved if these catch-and-releasees were sentenced to the cleanup? They used to do that. Are they still? I know a couple guys who had their charges relaxed in return for roadside cleanup.

I’ll continue to cleanup while in my canoe, and just plain NOT litter. While on my motorcycle, I will also continue to pick up discarded cigarette butts, especially if they are still lit, and return them to their owners in the same fashion they were flicked from the car or truck. Fair warning, don’t ever let me see you empty an ashtray in a parking lot or street from your car. Let your imagination run with that one.

I feel ya. Filter Cigarettes should be fuckin banned

It’s hard to have respect for Caltrans, with their blotted, uncontested budgets and power. In Eureka they are doing something with the sidewalk (the SIDEWALK!) in front of the Broadway Theater. They have a lane closed, where, just STANDING AROUND, were 12 (yes TWELVE!) Caltrans (very well paid, especially after dark) ‘workers’ the other evening. TWELVE! I appreciate our good road system (would like more focus on alternatives transportation options though). I support people being paid well and having a union. But Caltrans, like CA prison guard’s union, has runaway power and control (up to the highest offices in the state). I want to see more accountability from them! Less wasting money on unnecessary projects so they can justify their blotted budgets!

I’m pretty sure the reason there is work on the sidewalk is to improve access for the disabled. “This project proposes to construct improvements on U.S. Highway 101 from just north of the Herrick Interchange to just north of Cedar Street in the City of Eureka for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Work would include replacing or installing curb ramps, sidewalks, driveways, and splitter islands. The project would also improve drainage and install audible pedestrian systems at all existing signalized intersections.” https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-1/d1-projects/d1-broadway-ada

Kym. I have no grudge on the project, whatever it is. It’s the number of (TWELVE) well paid crew who are ON THE (after hours) CLOCK and reenforce the image of an excessive number of Caltrans workers standing around (this time, not even leaning of their shovels).

We are hired by the government, and we are here to help.

55 billion for Ukraine, and 250/month for volunteers???

If you think spending our children’s future on foreign aid schemes, isn’t bad enough, just ask people to volunteer.

Try asking European countries to volunteer their own wealth instead.