Celebrating the Freedom to Burn, Cleanly, on Ocean Beach
Scott Swanson of San Francisco mans the information table at the “March Forth” Ocean Beach cleanup event.
It’s connected. Anything left as trash on Ocean Beach has a good chance of ending up in the the Ocean, which means all the more chance of it getting swept into the Bay. While organizations such as Surfrider.org hold monthly beach cleanups (see p. 26), San Francisco’s Ocean Beach Foundation has been fighting hard, specifically, to save Ocean Beach.
By Ian Bettinger
Published: April, 2007
Ocean Beach Foundation (OBF) formed in 2006 in response to the threat of an imminent ban of bonfires at Ocean Beach, the last refuge for beach bonfires in San Francisco. They alerted the public of the proposed bonfire ban and galvanized overwhelming opposition.
At OBF’s prompting, the public sent more than 1,600 letters opposed to the ban, forcing the National Park Service (NPS) to back off plans for a ban and work towards a new solution.
Ever since, OBF has been working to create a model community beach that provides safe and responsible access to all.
The organization has teamed with the National Park Service, Burners without Borders and the Surfrider Foundation to install newly designed fire pits, and educate the public on proper beach usage. This includes knowing what to burn and not to burn.
At OBF’s last clean-up, March Forth, more than 100 people showed support by cleaning up the beach in the afternoon, and gathered at sunset for a celebratory bonfire afterwards with music and a preview of the design for the new fire pits.
This month, on Sunday, Apr. 22, Ocean Beach Foundation is holding another event to celebrate the installation of the new fire pits and to celebrate saving the beach at the First Annual Earth Day Celebration and Beach Clean Up — Leave no Trace! To participate, just show up at 2PM at stairwell 18-20 at Ocean Beach. Gloves and bags will be provided.
To see the organic designs of the fire pits (fireblooms, flowers, seastars, bowls, wave), to request information or learn more about the Ocean Beach Foundation, visit www.oceanbeachfoundation.org
Earth Day Celebration and Beach Clean Up — Leave no Trace!
Sunday April 22, 2007
Stairwell 18-20 of Ocean Beach (at the Great Highway and Fulton St.)
Beach Cleanup 2PM – 4:30PM
Bonfire to follow
