Pinole just earned the “Clean California Community” badge from Caltrans, one of only 30 cities statewide to earn it so far.
That’s in part because, over the past few years, more than 250 volunteers and neighbors banded together to pull more than 3,000 pounds of trash and recyclables out of Pinole Creek and nearby areas.
Pinole achieved at least 10 of the 15 Clean CA criteria, everything from litter assessments to new enforcement policies, ordinances and regular clean-ups.
As a reward, the city gets Official Clean California signage, state-partnered volunteer kits and educational resources, automatic membership in Keep California Beautiful and visibility on Clean CA platforms and grant opportunities.
“We are proud that Pinole is among the first cities to earn the Clean California Designation, a direct result of our community’s collective efforts to keep our city clean,” Mayor Cameron Sasai stated. “This designation is the start of a partnership with the State of California that opens the door to new resources that will expand beautification, tackle litter, and build a vibrant Pinole that we can all be proud of.”
The city’s designation is part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $1.2 billion Clean California initiative, launched in 2021 by Caltrans to clean up, reclaim, transform, and beautify public spaces statewide.
Pinole invites other California communities to join the Clean California Community program and help transform public spaces. Learn more and take the pledge at CleanCA.com/Designation.
The next major cleanup is Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, Sept. 20, 9 am to noon at Bayfront Park.