our views deserve better
Grizzly Peak is a natural wonder. It offers the best views in the Bay Area. It is also the only popular public space in the region that does not provide trash cans, regular cleanups, or other common-sense anti-litter solutions. With its $7 billion endowment and grizzly bear mascot, we think UC Berkeley can - and should - be a better steward of its land.
At a minimum, that means:
1. Trash Cans. Installing and regularly emptying secure, high-capacity trash and recycling containers at pullouts 0 through 5 and 7, as well as this pullout, which serves several heavily-used trails. Visitors routinely tell us that the lack of trash cans is the main reason people litter, which is why we put them in every other public space. The trash cans must be secure, permanent installations, otherwise they will end up thrown down the mountain.
UC Berkeley does maintain trash cans and perform cleanups at this pullout located next to the Lawrence Hall of Science, likely because it's in plain view of the museum. All we're asking is that the same courtesy be extended to the rest of its campus. Go (Grizzly) Bears!
2. Regular Cleanups. The cleaner a space is, the less permission people feel to trash it. In addition to trash cans, weekly litter cleanups are essential to ensuring Grizzly Peak remains a clean and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.
3. Anti-Littering Signs. Grizzly Peak does not currently feature signs asking people to respect nature and our shared common areas. 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. Close Dump Sites. Grizzly Peak features two atrocious illegal dumping sites located here and here. The trash pile at the first site is easily 150 yards long, 30 yards wide, and several deep, and it's visible on Satellite View, which means you can see it from space. Here's a video tour I put together.
Cleaning these sites is incredibly difficult. The trash is strewn down steep ravines filled with poison oak, ticks, and rattlesnakes, and is often heavy, disgusting, or both. We tackled these sites - and caught poison oak - during cleanups five, eight, and 11, but both have been heavily re-dumped since. Without permanent barriers installed close to the road, a handful of trashy people will continue to use our shared natural wonder as an open dump.
Again, $7 billion in the bank, and a grizzly bear mascot. UC Berkeley can - and should - do better.
At a minimum, that means:
1. Trash Cans. Installing and regularly emptying secure, high-capacity trash and recycling containers at pullouts 0 through 5 and 7, as well as this pullout, which serves several heavily-used trails. Visitors routinely tell us that the lack of trash cans is the main reason people litter, which is why we put them in every other public space. The trash cans must be secure, permanent installations, otherwise they will end up thrown down the mountain.
UC Berkeley does maintain trash cans and perform cleanups at this pullout located next to the Lawrence Hall of Science, likely because it's in plain view of the museum. All we're asking is that the same courtesy be extended to the rest of its campus. Go (Grizzly) Bears!
2. Regular Cleanups. The cleaner a space is, the less permission people feel to trash it. In addition to trash cans, weekly litter cleanups are essential to ensuring Grizzly Peak remains a clean and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.
3. Anti-Littering Signs. Grizzly Peak does not currently feature signs asking people to respect nature and our shared common areas. 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. Close Dump Sites. Grizzly Peak features two atrocious illegal dumping sites located here and here. The trash pile at the first site is easily 150 yards long, 30 yards wide, and several deep, and it's visible on Satellite View, which means you can see it from space. Here's a video tour I put together.
Cleaning these sites is incredibly difficult. The trash is strewn down steep ravines filled with poison oak, ticks, and rattlesnakes, and is often heavy, disgusting, or both. We tackled these sites - and caught poison oak - during cleanups five, eight, and 11, but both have been heavily re-dumped since. Without permanent barriers installed close to the road, a handful of trashy people will continue to use our shared natural wonder as an open dump.
Again, $7 billion in the bank, and a grizzly bear mascot. UC Berkeley can - and should - do better.