Clean your scene on Cinco De Playa

This May 5th join Burners all over the country (and the world!) are getting together to help clean up their little corner of the world. Burners Without Borders (another name for any group of burners getting together to do public service) is organizing the 2nd Annual Cinco de Playa Beach and Park Restoration Day.

The details are as simple or as complicated as you’d like them to be: either join a group already organized, or get your own together, and head out to the nearest place in need of cleaning up, and MOOP the heck out of it.

Last May 5th, five different groups did just that, everywhere from Paris, to Mexico, and right here in San Francisco. In fact, that’s the day BWB learned about the ongoing issues with Ocean Beach, which resulted in the fire pits project recently highlighted in the San Francisco Chronicle–so who knows where your little project may end up!

Burning Man Regional groups and Burners Without Borders from all over have already organized over 20 cleanup events – so you can either join an existing group (see below)… or get your own together. Here’s a list of projects already organized from the BWB page–check it out, and then join in or add yours!

SEATTLE SPIT-SHINES GOLDEN GARDENS
WHAT:
Spring Cleaning at Golden Gardens
WHEN:
Saturday May 5th from Noon-4PM
WHERE: Meet on the water-side of the building at Golden
Gardens at noon to receive litter cleanup materials
WHO: You and your friends and family!
To see who else is in on the cleanup action go to http://tinyurl.com/yqjkhp
Light refreshments will be provided for volunteers after the cleanup event.
CONTACT:
Phill Arensberg, 206 356 9478 phill (dot) arensberg (at) gmail (dot) com
Amani Ellen Loutfy 206 384 5287 amani (at) caphillchamber (dot) org

FLORIDA RAISES THE BAR-6 CLEAN UP LOCATIONS!
WHERE:
Beaches and Parks in St. Pete, Ft Lauderdale, Gainesville, Tallahassee, SW Florida, and the Panhandle
CONTACT: Donna Hynes at Florida (at) burningman (dot) com
772-979-2761
She can put you in touch with the contacts in your region

NEW YORK CITY TAKES ON CONEY ISLAND!
NYC will be trekking out to the historical and currently controversial Coney Island! Our cleanup will be followed by a celebratory ride on the Cyclone! Wheeee! Coney Island has a special place in many of our hearts,especially these days when its future is imperiled. This is a great way to show our playa a little playa love!
DETAILS: At High Noon meet at on the Boardwalk at the foot of Stillwell Ave. (Stillwell Ave. is the last stop on the F.) We’ll fan out onto the beach and just start moopin’ when we’ve gathered a good gaggle of garbage getters. You can show up any time between noon and 4pm. Just look for us and look for trash.
CONTACT: Abby Ehmann 646-309-1309 or newyork (at) burningman (dot) com

NEW JERSEY MOOPS ASBURY PARK
The following is an event that can involve our entire community! You, yes, you! Plus kids! Parents!
Co-workers! Neighbors! Perfect strangers sunning themselves! I’m collecting a bunch of YOU to collect a bunch of trash for this National Event.
WHERE:
The beach at ASBURY PARK Meet on the Boardwalk at Howard Johnson’s at 2pm. If you come late and can’t find us, just call Taco at the taco-line at 732-804-6146
WHEN: 2:00-4:00PM
BRING: Moop Buckets, work gloves and snacks. No glass or alcoholic beverages please
INFO: newjersey (at) burningman (dot) com

LAS VEGAS CLEANS UP LAKE MEAD!
WHERE
: Government Wash at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, an extremely heavily used area by boaters and off
roaders. The closest and most trashed cove at Lake Mead NRA.
WHEN: May 5th @ 8am sharp, family camping night before, details on LV Burners list here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lasvegasburningman/
WE WILL: Pick up trash and bag it.
CONTACT: Melissa Cassidy ‘Malicious’ 702-301-4809

BAY AREA BWB RESTORES OCEAN BEACH!
WHERE:
Stairwell 20 Ocean Beach, San Francisco
WHEN: May 5 at 2:00pm
BRING: A Pot-luck dish to share
CONTACT: austinh2o (at) hotmail (dot) com

APTOS CALIFORNIA SCOURS RIO DEL MAR BEACH!
WHEN:
May 5, 6PM
WHERE:
Rio Del Mar Beach Cafe Rio 131 Esplanade, Aptos
WE WILL: Give the beach a good cleaning and then enjoy a fire together
CONTACT: Franny at franypny (at) yahoo (dot) com

CINCINNATI, OHIO CLEANS UP EDEN PARK
WHERE:
Reflecting Lake in Eden Park
WHEN: 2pm-5PM
We will all be wearing green shirts so we can recognize each other. Afterwards? Off to a local burners house for an art/live music show!
CONTACT: Angie Asselinat at earthguardian (at) scorchednuts (dot) com 513.295.5918

MINNEAPOLIS, MN
WHAT:
Minnesota burners will be cleaning one of the parks in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, we’re still working on our location. Updates will be sent out to the list and announced at Bob’s Java Hut at our Wednesday meet up.
CONTACT: Rev. Steven “Zed” Grafing for details at 612-802-4584

BOULDER/BURNS HOSTS: Park to Park Boulder Creek Cleanup
WHEN:
5:30 PM on May 5
WHERE: Ebin G Fine park shelter house – Arapahoeand 4th st in Boulder
WE WILL: sweep and clean both banks of Boulder Creek from 4th street to 30th street, ending in Scott Carpenter park with ‘cerveza frios y tortillas y salsa’
BRING: gloves and shoes that you can get wet – Trash bags and crevezas provided!
CONTACT: Brad Holland at boulder (at) burningman (dot) com

If you don’t see your city listed here, it doesn’t mean there’s not something planned for “Cinco de Playa” — hit up your local regional contact. You can find yours at http://regionals.burningman.com. Got an idea for your own cleanup/restoration project in your hometown? We’d love to list it alongside all the others! Contact carmen (at) burnerswithoutborders (dot) org.

About the author: Tom Price

Tom Price

Tom Price is the former Executive Director of Black Rock Solar. Prior to that he was the Environmental Manager for Burning Man during the Green Man theme, and was in the Gulf Coast for six months during the genesis of Burners Without Borders. He's been attending Burning Man since 1997, and he's proud to say that his decade plus streak of breaking down from sun stroke on the playa on day three remains intact.

One comment on “Clean your scene on Cinco De Playa

  • dennis says:

    I am looking for blogs to join a group for burning man 2010. I was there in 2005 and am ready to go back. This tine I would like to get into a group that does something when there. I am also looking ofr a group that I can fit into… any ideas for the orlando daytona area?

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