 Here's the view from Grizzly Peak. If you can find a better view in the Bay, I'll eat my hat. If you don't think this view deserves an awesome new park, I'll eat yours too! Seriously though, Grizzly Peak's pullouts were built in the 1930s - their anything-goes vibe no longer works. The best way to transform the mountain into a clean and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy is for the East Bay Regional Park District to develop and manage Grizzly Peak as a world-class park:
Again, UC Berkeley has $7 billion in the bank, and the Park District is right across the road. Here's who to reach out to if you'd like to help transform this cultural and environmental jewel into an awesome new park for everyone to enjoy. Keep your message short and friendly, tell a story, and don't forget that these folks work for us! UC Berkeley. As shown on this map, Cal owns most of the numbered pullouts and trashed areas to the west of the road. Contacts include the UC Regents, the Office of Sustainability, the Facilities Department and its head, Felix DeLeon ([email protected]), and the Zero Waste Program and its head, Lin King ([email protected]). Oakland and Alameda County. Oakland owns Grizzly Peak Boulevard and approximately 12' off the pavement on either side. Contacts include Janani Ramachandran (Oakland District 4), Oakland Public Works, and OAK311. In addition, Nikki Fortunato Bas represents Alameda County District 5, which includes Grizzly Peak. State and Beyond. Buffy Wicks (State Assembly District 14), Tim Grayson (State Senate District 9), Brent Blackaby, Berkeley District 6 (Grizzly Peak is outside Berkeley's city limits, but his district has strong sway), and Gavin Newsom (Governor). And here's that view again! 
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If we can't find the courage to transform Grizzly Peak into a world-class park, the least we can do is compel UC Berkeley to live up to its legal and environmental obligations to keep the site as clean as the rest of its campus. With $7 billion in the bank and a grizzly bear mascot, there is no excuse for the sordid and embarrassing status quo.
As shown on this map, Cal owns most of the land west of Grizzly Peak Boulevard, including the pullouts and most of the trashed areas. At a minimum, here is what the university must do to ensure this public property is a clean and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy: 1. Competent Trash Cans at Each Pullout. The UC Facilities Manual provides that Cal must ensure a "safe, healthful, and secure environment" (§§ 1.3.1, 1.4), an "environmentally acceptable atmosphere" (§ 1.1.2), and "well-maintained facilities" that "meet the University's requirements" (§§ 1.1.7, 1.1.2). These standards apply with the same force and effect up on Grizzly Peak as they do in and around Sproul Plaza. In addition, Cal's Zero Waste Plan repeatedly stresses that "one of the most effective ... activities" for capturing litter is the installation of "standardized signage and bins" at "major thoroughways and entrances and exits" (pp. 4, 26). According to the Plan, "Bigbellies are now the standard [trash] receptacle for outdoor locations at UC Berkeley" and should be "strategically placed" in "high-trafficked areas," including "on campus as well as off campus" (pp. 26, 27). In order to meet these legal and environmental obligations, Cal must place and maintain standardized Bigbelly trash, recycling, and compost containers at pullouts 0 through 5 and 7, as well as this pullout, which serves several heavily-used trails. These pullouts see hundreds of visitors every day, and people routinely tell us that the lack of trash cans is the main reason people litter. The 2026 Litter Study by Keep America Beautiful found that inconvenient or missing trash cans is the main reason people litter. Cal recently install Bigbellies at this pullout located next to the Lawrence Hall of Science, likely because it is in plain view of the university museum. All we're asking is that the same standards be extended to the rest of its campus. Go (Grizzly) Bears! 2. Weekly Litter Cleanups. The cleaner a space is, the less permission people feel to trash it. In addition to standardized Bigbellies, weekly litter cleanups are essential to ensuring Grizzly Peak remains a clean and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy. 3. Leave No Trace Signs. Grizzly Peak does not currently feature standardized signs asking visitors to dispose of their trash in the (soon-to-be-installed) Bigbellies. As with all relationships, if we want specific behaviors we have to use our words. 4. Butt Containers. Cigarette butts are some of the main litter items we pick up. Given the site's shocking fire risk, installing numerous butt containers at each pullout would seem a prudent investment. 5. Seal Dump Sites. For years, a handful of trashy people have taken advantage of Grizzly Peak's remote location and lack of enforcement to use this natural wonder and cultural institution as a free dump. After three hellishly difficult cleanups (see here, here, and here) and an award-losing video, Cal finally cleaned up the main illegal dump site in April of 2025. Unfortunately, as with its insufficient and non-spec portable waste containers, this cleanup is not enough. Unless and until the pullouts above the dump sites (located here and here) are sealed with railings or logs placed close to the road in a manner that blocks all parking, trashy people will just keep throwing tons of junk down Grizzly Peak's ravines while pocketing their dump fees. Indeed, a tour in December of 2025 demonstrated that all three sites have been heavily re-dumped since. Again, $7 billion in the bank and a grizzly bear mascot. UC Berkeley must do better. If you'd like to help encourage Cal to live up to its legal and environmental obligations, here's who to reach out to. Keep your message short and friendly, tell a story, and don't forget that these folks work for us! UC Berkeley. As shown on this map, Cal owns most of the numbered pullouts and trashed areas to the west of the road. Contacts include the UC Regents, the Office of Sustainability, the Facilities Department and its head, Felix DeLeon ([email protected]), and the Zero Waste Program and its head, Lin King ([email protected]). Oakland and Alameda County. Oakland owns Grizzly Peak Boulevard and approximately 12' off the pavement on either side. Contacts include Janani Ramachandran (Oakland District 4), Oakland Public Works, and OAK311. In addition, Nikki Fortunato Bas represents Alameda County District 5, which includes Grizzly Peak. State and Beyond. Buffy Wicks (State Assembly District 14), Tim Grayson (State Senate District 9), Brent Blackaby, Berkeley District 6 (Grizzly Peak is outside Berkeley's city limits, but his district has strong sway), and Gavin Newsom (Governor). Pursuant to our Pandish demands, UC Berkeley finally cleaned up the massive illegal dump site featured in our recent award-losing documentary. Or more accurately, pursuant to our public shaming - that works too! To be clear, the work on this site isn't done. Unless and until the pullout above the ravine is sealed with railings or logs placed close to the road that block all parking, a handful of trashy people will continue to use this natural wonder and cultural institution as a free dump. For Round 14*, the trash pandas were back at the main pullouts, tongs clackin' and bags packin'! We grabbed at least a ton and a half of Grizzly Peak's gross garbage, including most of a car, several creepy shrines, and a doll that made me feel decidedly uncomfortable. We also made a giant elephant trash slug, which is pretty rad. A huge shout-out to today's hard-workin' pandas, including Judith, Zach, Jacob, Scott, Eric, Renee, and the four incredibly hard-working gentlemen whose names my uncooperative brain can't recall - I am incredibly sorry! You guys are absolute rockstars - this team effort never would have happened without you! Also, a huge thanks to the peerless Pengweather for stopping by - great chatting with you today my friend! Another huge shout-out to all the fantastic folks who’ve donated to our Amazon Wishlist, including Mystori with the reflective vests and poppy seeds! Unfortunately Amazon deleted the ability to reorder stuff on a list - if anyone's feeling generous, here's what we need! - Three bags of wild poppy seeds - one of my goals is to reseed trashed areas with native wildflowers as a sort of floral cultural jam. - Five trash tongs - the grabbers break easily and are hard on the panda's paws. - Five lawn and leaf barrels - they make hauling trash bags around way easier, and keep sharp / gross stuff away from our fantastic fur. Thanks so much everyone, very well done!!! *We skipped Round 13 because Grizzly Peak doesn't need any more creepy juju. Pursuant to our Pandish demands, UC Berkeley placed portable trash, recycling, and compost containers at pullouts 2, 3, and 4, as shown on this map. A recent check shows that visitor are indeed filling these containers with litter which would likely otherwise end up on the ground. While we welcome Cal's tentative first step to take care of its land, this is not enough. No trash cans have been placed at pullouts 0, 5, 7, or the unmarked pullout linked here, which serves several heavily-used trail. More importantly, these portable containers are not the "standard receptacles for outdoor locations at UC Berkeley" mandated by Cal's own Zero Waste Plan and will quickly end up destroyed, thrown down the mountain, or both. As discussed on our Views page, Cal must place and maintain Bigbelly trash, recycling, and compost containers at all of Grizzly Peak's pullouts to competently capture the site's significant waste stream. The trash pandas were back at Grizzly Peak's pullouts 1-5 this morning, padding around with their little paws to collect 20-plus bags of the usual post-party garbage. A huge shout-out to today’s hard-working pandas, including Peter, Leon, Jacob, Michelle, and Keaton! You guys are absolute rockstars, and this team effort never would have happened without you! Also, I’ll be hosting a Trash Party on Wednesday, June 5th from 6 - 8 PM at Fieldwork in Berkeley. We’ll be talking cleanups, prosocial organizing, and just generally enjoying the company of people who aren’t afraid to step up and do good. If you’re cool and like the cut of our jib, come on down! Thanks so much everyone, very well done!!! |
