Clear Waterways Organization, INC

Before and after. Before I cleaned city streets and drainage ditches, you could see the results from polluted storm runoff in the area. Now since the trash, and debris is removed, it is a beautiful wetland. I'm almost on top of the situation here, besides a few trash filled ditches. At least the next big storm won't flush trash, oils from containers, automotive filters, fertilizer pellets, baby diapers, and treated lumber. There was much more than just garbage. I am feeling much better when I go here, and the wildlife now can enjoy it too. #clearwaterwaysorganizationinc, #pleasedonotlitter #secureyourtruckload #carryatrashbaginyourcar #clearwaterways.org

That last storm rained very gently in Oxnard. The trash situation is intense in Oxnard. I'm glad to have had the chance to clean as many waterways as possible, before the possibility of a downpour. If this were to flush out to sea, then the currents going westward during storms deposit this trash onto Santa Barbara beaches. While in transit in the bay it can definitely harm wildlife. The surf then chops the trash into numerous, and small pieces. Who's to blame for this trash? Motorists are littering, or trash is flying out of pickup trucks. Please keep your truck clean. I have been watching trash fly out of trucks for years quite frequently. #clearwaterwaysorganizationinc #secureyourtruckload #pleasedonotlitter #wecandobetter #carryatrashbaginyourcar

Year-round, I feel the race to protect the waterways from trash. Before the storm I jammed in one more drainage ditch before trash washes into the Santa Clara River. I asked permission for disposal with a farmer, and received a welcome and a bit of perspective about the challenge they recently are dealing with. All the hot houses were heavily damaged as the plastic was ripped off by unseasonably strong winds. Completely off season, and stronger than ever. Bless his heart... for being supportive of preventing waterway pollution. He took a major loss, and somehow was still gracious. A reminder to everyone out there! This trash came from unsecured pick-up truck loads, and from some people who litter. If you know someone with a pick-up truck, or own one, please prevent the blow out of trash. Do this by bagging up all that loose trash. Put it in your truck cab. #clearwaterwaysorganizationinc #pleasedontlitter #wecandobetter #secureyourtruckload #clearwaterways

Out all day before the storm cleaning up three miles of trash that originated from public trash cans that continue to blow over in the wind. In one block, a half of a dumpster worth of trash is the amount I'm removing. Many blocks to go. As I clean, I talk to all the residents. I ask that they phone into Oxnard Public Works department. I asked and about twenty residents are calling in to alert the city and make a suggestion. I asked specifically, that the 90 gallon trash cans be anchored to a pole, and that a spring is installed in each lid. This way the beach, ocean, or neighborhood will not continue to be plastered with trash. A few ladies took a photo of my non-profit's sign. They are forwarding the contact to the Mandalay and Oxnard homeowners groups. May the issue be resolved soon! #clearwaterwaysorganizationinc

Found a better deal on tins for making portable pocket ashtrays. It always helps to be able to make more pocket ashtrays for smokers to reconsider not littering. Sent a couple boxes out to Morro and Halfmoon Bay Harbormasters. Businesses, and individuals help me distribute them. Its one of Clear Waterways Organization's programs to educate and reduce littering. The resulting pollution is ugly, and hurts wildlife. Talk to your friends that smoke today. If they don't care so be it, at least you tried. Thanks for spreading the word

Next place to send off to. Another round of cigarette tins boxed up on their way to Morro Bay. Last round was sent to Half Moon Bay. They are made of steel, and donated leather scraps. I'm trying not to use plastic. The leather was bound for the landfill. Thanks for the donations that help to make this all possible to clearwaterways.org. Education to smokers, and gives them the chance to find a trash can when they see one

Its an adventure finding the supplies, and to have put together five sizes of masks for helping to protect people from the virus. The surgical sterilization cloth I pattern into masks helps to block 99 percent of particles, from virus, bacteria, and other airborne pollution. I use the masks when biking in polluted city traffic, and on the streets and highway while motorcycling. I have received some wonderful compliments on the comfort, well sealed fit, and the breathability... of the fabric. The new ear adjustment, and surgical elastic are replaceable using a paperclip, but will last for the life of this reusable mask. The best part about my masks is that they are easily washable with liquid soap and water, and they dry fast. The other way to sterilize is by using peroxide, and hang to dry. It is amazing that I have sent masks to all the way to Florida, New York, and to people that received my masks here went to Mexico. It is a pleasure to use my skills as a Sailmaker, to apply towards producing masks. Its an assembly line, and they are not made one by one. Step by step they are made. Then comes the shipping. I have kept the costs down for shipping flat envelopes for up to four masks to $1.20. The small boxes I sent out with 40 masks had a shipping cost of $5- $7. The cost per mask is $8, and all the money is used for helping to clean city streets, drains, wetlands, and creeks. Other projects such as pool nets for harbors, portable ashtray tins, cigarette butt collector buckets, bags for clean up volunteers, are part of where the money goes. It's helping to fundraise for Clear Waterways Organization, INC, and work is being done to beautify with all this hard earned mask production. Read about how to order by visiting the Clear Waterways page above in the top post. See more

Thanks to the donors to Clear Waterways. The fundraising through mask making is resulting in clean up. Recently clean up in Oakland, Morro Bay, and Oxnard are a result of the support received for the making of masks. They are washable and reusable as well, so the masks are also a better choice. The filtration of this medical surgical cloth is 99 percent microbial protection.

Now a new rule. Must be a voluntary effort by everyone who visits and enjoys nature. Bring your own bag, and pack your trash home. It's about not relying on government to remove the trash that is created, and for visitors to plan ahead. Now is the time to do what's right, by not contributing to the overwhelmed city, or rural trash removal services. Please consider carrying a bag to take home with you. You have a vehicle, use it. This way we can keep the places we enjoy that much nicer.

Used one of my nets to clean harbors today. I've seen the tenants to marinas using them to scoop out trash. Thanks to donors to http://www.clearwaterways.org

For right now I'm responding to this emergency by making masks, and helping by designing and sharing my patterns, and materials with The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade. The patterns are going to the sewing crew at the SB County Jail. For now It is my opinion trash removal endangers my family and friends, in being exposed to potential Coronavirus. Its not just trash but human waste and personal care items. Clear Waterways Organization usually picks up trash in the environment,... from Port Hueneme to the Bay Area.The trash in the environment seems to be being paid attention to, now that there is so much to go food waste, where before we once used to dine in. Due to the pandemic, there is at least an alarm going off about how the trash cans are overflowing in our popular recreational areas. Long before the pandemic, Many environmental stewards, have kept the environment clean, and quietly made things better. Before the pandemic, no one seemed to care, or very few people noticed the amount of stewardship happening. The trash will always need to be picked up after other careless people. The trash will be there to clean up even if this pandemic ends. For now money is being raised through the making of masks, for the work that will continue to need to be done, as before, and after the pandemic. For now, the responsibility is on all of us to teach everyone in the public, that they must pack their trash out, and to not litter. Limited services for trash collection, and pick up exists in popular recreational areas. Now that closures of beaches and parks have caused people to become displaced, we can notice a difference. Before there was plenty of space for all of us to go, and now people who still wanted to enjoy nature have found places where no services were provided while they recreate. People needed to park, and they needed to dispose of their trash. In the places people were displaced from, there suddenly were not the services provided that they had come to expect. This means trash collection, pick up, and restrooms provided. So many people have had no way to find a restroom or garbage can, while they have been displaced by the pandemic. It is time to have a general rule broadcast to the public. " Please pack your trash out, and home with you. Don't expect services be provided to keep this area clean!" If you are hiking, and needed to use a restroom, then be prepared to bag up your excrement, and dont leave a trace. For the safety of my family, and friends I'm currently making masks, and trying to keep away from being exposed to potential virus that exists in the trash people leave. I have always sterilized my tools and worn gloves, but for now I feel it is important to educate people to be more thoughtful and considerate. For now I will concentrate on mask production, for the Clear Waterways Organization Fund. See Timothy Kirshtner, in Facebook. The post entitled masks.

Every day Is Earth Day, and where we live is not a landfill. For now due to the Coronavirus, I am not touching the trash due to any cross contamination. I hav...e always used sterilization after and during cleaning, and for now I'm playing it safe. I started as The Beach Doctor, Beach Cleaning Service, and throughout the years I thought about all the inland drains, and ditches, and decided that I was going to clean them. I founded Clear Waterways Organization Inc, as a nonprofit organization, and my mission is to remove toxic and unsightly man made refuse from roads and waterways leading to the Ocean. Watershed refuse removal and environmental stewardship, as well as ways to prevent the reoccurrence of garbage, through making awareness while in action. Clear Waterways Organization Inc has received some small donations since 2015, and I have been thankful for the appreciation of the clean up efforts. The website is clearwaterways.org where there are some stories to read in the articles section. I hope reading these helps inspire people, as they were written in a different time, but relevant for today. For the past thirty four years, picking up after others. This is a tiny glimpse into the efforts to clean the drains, ditches, road turn outs, trails, wetlands and beaches. From Port Hueneme to the Bay Area along the coastal highway it is now very clean due to my constant efforts. Working inland, and upstream to remove toxic and unsightly garbage before it washes into the waterways. Besides cleaning, I've been making bags for those who want to volunteer their own time to clean up the environment. Pool nets are being purchased for marinas, and donated to the harbor master for use by the tenants to scoop out trash from the water. Cigarette buckets are being placed outside bars, and restaurants where people are smoking, to give them a reminder to not litter their butts. Portable pocket ashtray tins are given to smokers so they can store their cigarette butts, and make it to the trash can. Roadway signs asking motorists to carry a trash bag in their vehicle, to secure their truckload, and to not litter. I'm trying to educate in Spanish, English, and Chinese ln my signs wherever I go in California, to help spread the word. As I'm cleaning, people do say thank you, and I do get an opportunity to inspire action by some of them. Now I'm working with special vaccumes that really make people curious, and they are absolutely amazed at the ability to remove the micro trash in a fraction of time. The best part about that curiousity, is my chance to educate are inspire.

This pandemic causes a greater appreciation for many things we were used to in life. May we all get back to life as it was not too long ago. So many positive memories and bonds that are created, thanks to all the educators, and faculty that are all a part of forming these children.

Thank you to friends and supporters, of Clear Waterway's mission to remove watershed refuse from the urban/industrial areas, and clearing drains, that eventually reach the ocean. For now the trash may harbor the Corona Virus on paper, plastic, glass and metal that is picked up around urban areas. I'm not taking any chances.... Please keep Clear Waterways in mind if and when the virus is a thing of the past, and a vast majority of people recover financially. We are all in for a long road to recovery, and grief that is felt for those lost to this pandemic. May you all be safe, and wishing everyone a quick road to recovery.

Today was just a walk to investigate some places to clean. Keep me in mind for the future, to help support this service to clean the waterways and city streets.... Its my passion, and what still needs doing even in these difficult times. For now life is out of balance, and I am full of thoughts for the well being of everyone else Thanks for the support, Timothy Kirshtner Clear Waterways Organization Inc www.clearwaterway.org

Thanks to another Marina owner for accepting my program of pool nets for marinas, within harbors. Seabridge Marina in Channel Islands Harbor has their first n...ets. Now tenants, and the maintenance crew can skim trash out of the ocean. I am especially thankful to my donors to clearwaterways.org that were responsible for supporting my cleanup efforts, and programs such as this one. See more