By Jo Moreland
Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce
For The Alpine Sun
ALPINE —- Thousands of pounds of items were recycled or picked up as trash during the annual “I Love a Clean Alpine” Earth Day Celebration on April 25!
People also enjoyed the Earth Day Market with its vendors, food and free fashion show, entertainment and music. The market and free recycling were at the Alpine Regional Center at 1620 Alpine Blvd.
By Jo Moreland
Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce
For The Alpine Sun
ALPINE —- Thousands of pounds of items were recycled or picked up as trash during the annual “I Love a Clean Alpine” Earth Day Celebration on April 25!
People also enjoyed the Earth Day Market with its vendors, food and free fashion show, entertainment and music. The market and free recycling were at the Alpine Regional Center at 1620 Alpine Blvd.
At the recycling center, Dave Jones repeatedly unloaded dead vegetation from his Alpine home. Other area residents also dropped off green waste, electronic waste, tires, appliances, metals and gently used clothing.
“It works great,” Jones said. “How do you get better than free?”
The Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce presents the yearly Earth Day celebration.
Sponsors this year were the Alpine Regional Center, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, the County of San Diego, Albertsons, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. of Sempra Energy, Starbucks Coffee, Alpine VFW Bert Fuller Post 9578 and Rubio’s at Viejas.
Vehicles moved steadily through the recycling area, where the County of San Diego, Reliable Tire, Attan Recycling Corp. and Goodwill Industries were ready.
“It’s going good,” said Joel Dominguez of Attan, handling the electronic waste. “People are mostly dropping off little miscellaneous items . . . computers, household appliances, and quite a few hair dryers, hair curlers.”
A record number of 40 volunteers picked up almost 5,000 pounds of trash from nearby Alpine Creek, said Jon Green, Back Country Land Trust program and outreach director.
Fifteen UCSD students, the local Boy Scouts and 4-H Club, and the Alpine Special Treatment Center were among the participants.
It was the third year that BCLT, a Chamber member, hosted an annual “I Love A Clean San Diego: Creek to Bay” cleanup along Alpine Creek. This year the land trust also partnered with the Chamber’s Earth Day Celebration.
Green said most of the trash collected was from homeless encampments and Alpine Boulevard roadside litter. The volunteers found four active homeless camps and four inactive ones, he said.
“Somebody built a little retaining wall and patio on their campsite,” Green noted.
He said the Earth Day volunteers also cleaned out 50 pounds of electronic waste and batteries, 180 pounds of recycling and 10 gallons of used motor oil from the creek, which flows into El Capitan Reservoir —- a potable water supply for San Diego.
At the Earth Day Market, Chamber member Dana’s Stylish Fashions, Accessories and More presented a fashion show with beautiful styles. Pianist William Young and DJ Tony Gilbert entertained with a variety of music.
Vendors included Chamber members Barons Market, which handed out free reusable grocery bags; Alsop & Associates Allstate Insurance; Mary Kay Cosmetics —- Sallie Brown; McWire Electric; Mercy Medical Transportation; Soroptimist International of Alpine and Mountain Health & Community Services.
Terri Repetto of Berkshire Hathaway, Papa Stew Birdhouses, Subway, Natural Instincts also offered opportunities for the community. The Inslider Gourmet Sliders food truck was there.
Call (619) 445-2722 or visit www.alpinechamber.com to discover more Chamber activities.
