On April 16, Pleasanton’s annual creek cleanup was held at Arroyo de Laguna Creek to celebrate Earth’s day. The event, led by the Environmental Education Team, gathered ten bags of waste and litter, according to the Pleasanton Library & Recreation instagram account. 

“Obviously, pollution is a problem. We’re doing anything we can do to help limit any hazardous waste going over there,” said Alexa LeBlanc.

Like LeBlanc, people often walk their dogs near the creek and worry for their pets’ safety due to the trash. Thus these cleanups can potentially prevent pets from eating trash, as that can be life threatening. 

“My specific dog especially likes to eat multiple, all kinds of trash. So cleaning up the area is definitely a good idea,” said LeBlanc.

LeBlanc isn’t alone in thinking the trash is causing a problem, specifically at the creek. However, not all trash problems begin in Pleasanton. During the rainy season, a Dublin resident noticed trash running down the local creeks to the Pleasanton area. 

“I know we had a lot of trash with the rain coming and trash being swept up. I’ve noticed trash kind of flowing through creeks when the water filled up again after the rains,” said Christy Bray.  

People who regularly visit the park often voice their concern about the approach by the city. They believe education is a key to spread awareness, and want to prioritize finding the trash crisis’ root cause. 

“I think the best part is to stop it to begin with. How often are you going to get volunteers to come and clean it up? I think the best way is to clean the area is to stop it from happening in the first place,” said Balagi Jeevan. 

Locals like Bray agreed that the city should commit to cleaning up more frequently. However, there’s also an opportunity for others to partake in cleaning up, so it’s not limited to the city’s responsibility.

“Maybe environmental clubs could learn more about these issues. Then they can include cleanups in their programs,” said Jeevan. 

Participating in cleanups apply not only to clubs but also to regular students. Many locals voiced that as a part of the mandatory community service hours, high school students should participate in cleaning up their immediate areas. 

“I graduated from Amador and I don’t know if it’s still required to do 40 hours of community service. But I mean, cleaning up [the creek] could be one of the things that you do for your community service hours,” said Evan Field.