FBA works to recycle cigarette butts around the village

Pictured above:    The pile of cigarette butts are collected by Fallbrook Beautification  Alliance volunteers during recent cleanups. The cigarettes will be  mailed to Terracycle for recycling. 

Terracycle cigarette butt recycling units have been placed along the  Pico Promenade by the FBA and at the entrance to the Fallbrook Library  by Friends of Fallbrook Library to encourage a safe and responsible way  to dispose of cigarette butts. 

As most Fallbrook residents  know, cigarette butts are often the cause of wildfires and routinely  get into waterways and eventually the ocean. According to a National  Geographic website, smokers around the world buy roughly 6.5 trillion  cigarettes each year. That's 18 billion every day. While most of a  cigarette's innards and paper wrapping disintegrate when smoked, not  everything gets burned. Trillions of cigarette filters – also known as  butts or ends – are left over, only an estimated third of which make it  into the trash. Based on Fallbrook's recent cleanup efforts, the rest  are often casually flung into the street or out a car window. 

Cigarette  filters are made of a plastic called cellulose acetate and covered in a  paper liner. When tossed into the environment, the filter dumps the  plastic, but also the nicotine, heavy metals and many other chemicals  they've absorbed into the surrounding environment. 

Pictured above:    Marta Donovan from the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance creates a  message with cigarette cases and butts picked up during a recent litter  clean up event. 

When disposal units are not available, the FBA asks smokers to take  responsibility to put out their cigarette by hand or foot, pick up the  cold butt and dispose of it in a standard trash receptacle. Pocket  ashtrays are also an option. Drivers should invest in a portable ashtray  for their cars. Numerous styles are available, including those that fit  in cup holders for convenient access. 

Terracycle offers  smokers an option to recycle their cigarettes and associated trash at no  cost, through their cigarette Waste Recycling Program. They accept  extinguished cigarettes, cigarette filters, loose tobacco pouches, outer  plastic packaging, inner foil packaging, rolling paper and ash. More  details on the program and how to sign up may be found at http://Terracycle.com. 

Pictured above:   

 The Acosta Family cleans up sixteen 5-bucket equivalents off South  Mission Road from South Stage Coach to Quail Knoll Road and donated a  collective six hours. 

Fallbrook Beautification Alliance’s Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free held a 3-day virtual community wide clean up on the weekend of Aug 7-9.  Volunteers throughout our friendly village collected over 1000 (5-gallon equivalents) of litter and recycling that had been illegally dumped along Fallbrook roadways. The virtual nature of the clean up meant that volunteers worked as individuals or small family groups, cleaning areas of special interest or need. Once completed the data on the quantity of items collected as well as time spent was compiled by FBA Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free Coordinator, Marta Donovan.

Highlights of the three day effort included – Friday August 7: Nine volunteers donated a collective 20 hours using social distancing and wearing face masks to retrieve illegally dumped items off Sycamore (near Green Canyon), Sandia Creek Road, Via Encinos, E. Alvarado, Pico, S. Stage Coach, Welcome Home Tribute, and the Old Bonsall Bridge. 

The items filled a 281 cubic foot trailer three times for a 420 (5-bucket) equivalent.

On Saturday - August 8th  10 FBA KFLF volunteers participated in cleanup in their own neighborhoods.  An additional group of volunteers cleaned a designated section along S Mission Road from S Stage Coach to the CA76 and the area around Old River Road in Bonsall.  

On Sunday - August 9th the clean up concluded with work along S Mission at locations that were heavily littered or between previous clean up spots, totally 9 hours donated and 20 buckets of litter collected.

FBA KFLF effort over 3 days was 1021.50 (5-gallon) equivalent buckets by 17 volunteers expending over 84 volunteer hours! The County of San Diego was then called upon to help collect the large piles of filled orange trash bags that were staged throughout the major clean up areas. FBA welcomes the support of Carlos Michel Road Crew Supervisor Bonsall Road Station and his team who can be called upon to assist FBA to clean up roadways that are too difficult or dangerous for volunteers to manage.  Mr. Michel reports that his crews have also started mowing throughout Fallbrook for brush and weeds, which should be a noticeable improvement in the upcoming weeks.

FBA KFLF’s grand total for litter and recycling collected since beginning in January 2019

9,101.75 (5-gallon) equivalent buckets and 3,594.50 volunteer hours!!

If you would like to volunteer for this program, please visit the FBA website at

www.fallbrookbeautification.org

Please bring a bucket or reusable bag while you are walking around your neighborhood (or favorite hiking trail) to cleanup litter. It is an ongoing effort keeping Fallbrook litter free.  We need your help for a greater impact.  Please contact Marta Donovan, Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free Coordinator for any needed supplies at our website.  

Fallbrook Beautification Alliance offers safety vests, litter grabbers, 5-gallon buckets and work gloves to keep you safe for all those participating.  

In addition to Fallbrook Beautification Alliance Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free efforts, there are many organizations and groups around Fallbrook, who have officially or unofficially “adopted” a road, a neighborhood or park. These individual efforts are what make Fallbrook special. One such group FBA would like to recognize is Arlene and Ron Morosetti and their wonderful group of volunteers with the PepperTree Homeowners Association who have cleaned up S Mission from S Stage Coach to Fallbrook Street the second Saturday of each month for the past 20 years!   They too are looking for volunteers!   Find a way to get involved to help keep Fallbrook clean and beautiful. 

Pictured above:    The most interesting item found during Fallbrook Beautification  Alliance's Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free cleanup day is discovered by a  mother and her two sons from Scout Troop 731. From left, Jackson Liebes,  Susan Liebes and Jacob Leibes find an antique box of Hudson's Dry Soap,  while cleaning up in Zone 5. 

Fallbrook's Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free volunteers joined an "army"  of socially distanced volunteer environmental champions by cleaning up  litter and pollution throughout Fallbrook Saturday, June 20. 

The  event, held in conjunction with I Love A Clean San Diego's Creek to Bay  cleanup, was one of hundreds of small efforts across San Diego County  which helped prevent tons of litter from entering local creeks, bays and  the ocean.

This 18th annual cleanup is the largest single day  environmental action event in San Diego and resulted in over 5,777  pounds of trash and over 1,549 pounds of recycled material being  collected by 806 volunteers throughout the county. 

Fallbrook's  KFLF volunteers were a huge part of that effort, with 29 volunteers  collecting 714 pounds of trash, 702 pounds of recycling including over  1,000 cigarette butts which were separated to be recycled by Fallbrook  Beautification Alliance's recycling partner Terracycle.  

Pictured above:  FBA Volunteer Dan Clouse working in Zone 1 

In a "normal year," the Creek to Bay event brings together groups who  gather at designated spots in their own communities. This year the goal  was to stay close to home, making a difference by cleaning up local  neighborhoods, storm drains and creek beds, contributing to this full  day of environmental action at the time and place that best suited to  the volunteer. 

Volunteers logged their location, time spent and  the weight of the trash and recycling collected and were able to upload  photos at I Love A Clean San Diego's website, which helped the group  track the success county wide. County information including Fallbrook  Beautification Alliance's Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free accomplishments  may be found at http://www.creektobay.org.

Fallbrook  is uniquely situated within three different Southern California  watersheds: San Luis Rey, Santa Margarita and Rainbow Creek. A watershed  is defined as the divide between two drainage streams or rivers,  separating rainfall runoff into one or the other of the basins. 

Pictured above:  Jerry Murphy (Zone 15) generously volunteers use of his  trailer to haul the big stuff out of culverts,  Zach Kantor-Anaya  (Regional Director South Coast Preserves of the Wildlife Conservancy),   Mark Mervich (Zone 14 Captain) and Marta Donovan (FBA KFLF Coordinator)  Cleaning up in Zone 2. 

Each of Fallbrook's watersheds ultimately run to the Pacific Ocean,  allowing the trash that is discarded along Fallbrook's roadways and  arroyos to end up in its streams and storm drains and eventually the  ocean, impacting wildlife and sea life along its entire route. 

While  happy to participate in I Love A Clean San Diego's Creek to Bay clean  up, Fallbrook Beautification Alliance's Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free  volunteers engage monthly, participating in group and individual  cleanups throughout the entire year. 

Anyone interested in  learning more about Fallbrook Beautification Alliance's efforts, the  various clean up zones in Fallbrook, or other ways they can work to keep  Fallbrook clean and beautiful, can go to http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org for more information.

Pictured above:   

Mark Mervich (Zone 14 Captain) found a kitchen sink when  cleaning up Fallbrook on June 18 as part of Keeping Fallbrook Litter  Free Program.

The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free will rekindle their group’s efforts to remove litter from Fallbrook’s roadways and waterways, with ongoing individual litter cleanups beginning June 14, 2020.  Emphasis will be on litter removal in individual neighborhoods, or wherever volunteers enjoy walking or hiking.  When and where litter is cleaned up is completely up to participants participating in the program.  The group, comprised entirely of volunteers who have pledged to help keep Fallbrook litter free. The group had ceased clean-ups during the worst of the COVID epidemic, but with increased emphasis on safe handling of litter and recycling, and working in small groups or individually, the group is ready to get back to work.  

To stay safe, participants are asked to work independently (or in family units), maintaining social distancing. Additionally, the organization requests that anyone heading out to pick up litter or recycling, use the following personal protective equipment:  gloves, litter grabbers and face masks. 

 Litter and recycling may be collected in 5-gallon buckets or those single use plastic bags that are in use again at most grocery stores. Please separate recycling from litter and recycle all items that meet recycling criteria in blue recycle bins at home.  

 During the ongoing COVID-19 reopening phase, the group will continue to suspend monthly group cleanups, and ask that anyone interesting in volunteering individually or as a team, review and sign the updated safety pledge form which may be found on the FBA website at fallbrookbeautification.org.  Contact information for this program may be found on the website as well.

The goal of the program is to create a litter-free Fallbrook. The program consists of twenty zones, covering 49 square miles. Each area has an assigned zone captain. This ongoing program, with neighbors working together, will encourage pride in the neighborhood level while keeping our village litter free. The program also provides community service credits to young volunteers in need of service hours.

All those participating in the Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free (KFLF) program are asked to submit, at the end of each month, data on how much litter/recycling was collected. Data can be submitted via email or text to the KFLF Coordinator and should include: Location of litter pickup (zone), Amount collected (5 gal bucket equivalent), Volunteer hours. This data is tracked by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance and available to all participants. It is an extraordinary effort, and one that was recognized by the County of San Diego in 2019 as a program that is dedicated to the best ideals of public service.

Any photos submitted to FBA by volunteers of their clean up efforts, may on occasion be posted on the FBA website, facebook page or local papers. For further information on this program or the many other community enhancement projects spearheaded by the FBA, please go to Fallbrookbeautification.org

Pictured above:  Fallbrook Beautification Alliance representatives from left, Cate Robinson and Marta Donovan with Supervisor Jim Desmond.
 

The County of San Diego California and Vice Chairman Jim Desmond honored the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance with a public proclamation, on Tuesday 10 March, 2020. The County of San Diego is “committed to recognizing and honoring those organizations that are dedicated to the best ideals of public service” the proclamation states.  “Be it proclaimed by Chairman Greg Cox and all members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on this 10th day of March 2020 that they commend Fallbrook Beautification Alliance for their outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to area residents, and do hereby declare this day to be “FALLBROOK BEAUTIFICATION ALLIANCE DAY” throughout San Diego County.  The FBA was recognized for the many projects it spearheads in and around Fallbrook. Those include the maintenance and beautification of the South Mission Medians, Jackie Heyneman Community Park, the Pico Promenade, Downtown Flower Pots and the East Mission Military Welcome Home Tribute. Additionally, FBA was recognized for managing Community Cleanups and recycling efforts with special emphasis on two of the most recent programs, Graffiti Abatement and Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free coordinated by FBA volunteer Marta Donovan.  The proclamation acknowledged the 71 volunteers who have come together to remove 5,447 five-gallon buckets of litter covering 49 square miles of community, expending 2,826 hours of volunteer time year to date, and the over 3,324 “graffiti tags” removed from benches, poles, fences, sidewalks and walls in 2019 and the 548  “tags” removed so far this year.  

Pictured above:   Scott Dovoan, Marta Donovan, Joe Beyer, Rosemarie Beyer, Julie Annet, Jean-Luc Annet,   Lyssa Flaherty, Jack Flaherty 

“It was an honor to thank Marta Donovan for her work bringing the community together through our Community Collaboration award” stated Nik Kennedy of I Love a Clean San Diego. The award honors partnerships between non-profits, municipalities, residents, and corporations that support ILACSD’s mission. Marta Donovan, FBA Board Member, Graffiti Abatement Coordinator and Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free Coordinator, was selected for the award in November of 2019 after a full year of building partnerships within North County. In early in 2019, Marta brought ILACSD together with FBA to promote a new program, Keeping Fallbrook Litter-Free, which was in itself a collaborative effort between FBA, local residents, and business stakeholders. Later in the year, Marta expanded the groups reach by working with representatives in both De Luz and Bonsall.  Through Marta’s efforts FBA collaborated with Lyssa and Jack Flaherty of Flaherty’s Charities in Bonsall and Julie and Jean-Luc Annet who started Keep De Luz Beautiful and long time Adopt-A-Road volunteer Joe and Rosemarie Beyer. The efforts allowed us to “create a fantastic partnership network, and through the hard work of these individuals build our volunteer network and bring more members of the community to make an impact on the North County region” Kennedy added. Sixteen group cleanups where held in 2019 in and around Fallbrook. 

 Fallbrook borders two watersheds, Marta Donovan explained. The Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey watersheds. “Partnering with our neighbors to the North (the DeLuz Team) and the South (the Bonsall Team) is a wonderful opportunity to protect our watershed in a collaborative volunteer effort.”  

 Following on the heels of Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free program, the Annet’s started a Keep De Luz Beautiful initiative and in early 2019 presented a signage program to the De Luz Community Services District to raise awareness about littering and dumping. Signs were approved and installed in 2019 around De Luz. “While the signs alone won't stop everyone from littering, if they give even a small percentage of the people that litter pause and stop them from doing so, they are having a positive impact” shared Julie Annet. 

“The initiative was started with a desire to protect and beautify our community by removing trash and debris from our streets and surrounding wilderness.  We have volunteer events and also receive trash pick-up services from the County of Riverside Department of Waste Services, through the assistance of our County Supervisor, Kevin Jeffries” Annet added. 

Pictured above:   Collaboration Award presented to Marta Donovan of Fallbrook Beautification Alliance

Jack and Lyssa Flaherty have been Bonsall residents since 1969, and run 7 local not-for-profit organizations. Each focus on community service, local youth, local arts, and healthy activities. They chair Flaherty's Charities, the Miss Bonsall Pageant, the Bonsall Community Foundation for the Arts, and the Vista Skatepark Coalition, to name a few. 

The Flaherty's are the Bonsall Site Captains for the annual ILACSD Creek to Bay Cleanup and Coastal Cleanup Days. In addition, they have added three additional Bonsall Community Cleanup Days to the calendar each year. Miss Bonsall and the Watershed Warriors, along with ILACSD, clean Old River Rd. from the Bonsall Community Church to the historic Old Bonsall Bridge. Part of the Miss Bonsall platform each year is "I 💖 a Clean Bonsall."

“We are honored be partnering with Marta Donovan and the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance and to work alongside Commander Joe Beyer and his Support Bonsall/Fallbrook Team” shared Lyssa Flaherty. Joe has been so supportive of our Cleanup Days, and has twice won our "Star Volunteer" award with the highest trash weight.

“We all share a similar vision of keeping our local community litter free, and look forward to participating in each other's cleanup efforts” Lyssa adds. 

Joe and Rosemarie Beyer have been cleaning up South Mission Rd from Bonsall River Village to Valley from since mid 2013. Official “adoptees” of this important roadway, the Beyers recently added Hwy 76 from the Bonsall Bridge to Olive Hill Road! You will often see Joe cleaning up trash and along these key roads and you might also notice both County & CalTrans signs posted reading “Support Bonsall & Fallbrook Team”. Joe consistently supports cleanup, recycling, graffiti removal and adopt-a-road programs throughout Fallbrook and Bonsall and you will find him leading the way at each event. 

Each of these groups host cleanups throughout the year. FBA’s Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free is very thankful for the 71 volunteers, which together have cleaned up 4,469 (5-gallon) bucket equivalents of litter and illegal dumping and 2,589.75 hours of volunteer time. Through this program, everyone can make a difference beautifying the Fallbrook community, abating graffiti and litter along the streets and divert litter from the waterways. Please contact Marta Donovan (760)405-4054 to learn more and to volunteer.    

Pictured above:  Fallbrook Beautification Alliance Volunteer uses a roller to paint over graffiti.

Fallbrook residents will have an opportunity to once again assist the  Fallbrook Beautification Alliance in wiping out graffiti in Fallbrook  while shopping at Major Market. During the months of June, July and  August, donations of any amount can be made at the register and will be  used to fight graffiti at local streets and parks.

In the first  five months of 2019, FBA volunteers cleaned over 1380 “tags” averaging  67 hours of work each month, wiping benches, painting poles and fences  and scrubbing sidewalks and walls. That number is double over the same  period last year. 

Although this increase may in part be  attributed to the team’s tracking of where graffiti is most prevalent,  FBA historical data indicated that there is a considerable increase in  the overall amount of graffiti in this village. 

Leaving gang  markings in place encourages retaliatory tagging. According to the U.S.  Department of Justice, graffiti is not an isolated problem. Further  criminal activity as a result of gang graffiti includes public disorder,  shoplifting, gang violence and property destruction. 

Additionally,  the National Association of Realtors said property values decrease of  15% in neighborhoods where graffiti is present. 

Since Fallbrook  is unincorporated, there are no city or county employees focused on  graffiti removal. It rests on the community’s businesses, residents and  volunteers. 

 FBA board member Marta Donovan and her small team of  volunteers focus on cleaning up the graffiti and eliminate the blight  with programs such as Major Market’s “Wipe Out Graffiti” campaign to  help provide the funds to purchase the cleaning and paint supplies the  volunteers use. 

Volunteer Susan Huff developed contacts with San Diego Gas and  Electric and other telephone utilities to encourage the cleanup of  frequently tagged utility boxes. The paint needed to match existing  boxes is unique, and matching the colors to keep the area beautiful is  an ongoing challenge, she said.

FBA volunteer Dan Clouse has engineered a long pole to reach the back of business tagged with graffiti. 

If  someone sees graffiti in town, they should report it. By doing so, the  tag will be photographed and added to the sheriff’s database. FBA  volunteers obtain a copy of the graffiti log every week from the  Fallbrook Sheriff’s department and remove graffiti in the public right  of way. 

Private businesses and homeowners are responsible for  abating graffiti on their own personal property. FBA Graffiti Abatement  volunteers do often interact with businesses and residents to share  ideas and solutions and to encourage their involvement in the timely  removal of graffiti.

Prompt notification helps raise awareness and  assists the sheriff in building a database of repeat offenders or  problem areas, making it easier to patrol and prosecute. All residents  are encouraged to call the graffiti hotline at (760) 451-3144 to submit a  report. Callers will reach a recorded announcement and will be prompted  to leave a short message with a description of where the graffiti is  located.

Anyone who doesn’t have the opportunity to donate at  Fallbrook’s Major Market this summer can consider making an online  donation at http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org. All contributions will go toward supplies and resources to clean up Fallbrook.

If  anyone would like to be a part of this important effort, there is a  “contact me” form available on the FBA website for volunteers indicate  their interest, and they will be personally contacted by a member of the  group. Volunteers may choose to help out in their own neighborhood with  graffiti removal and trash pick-up, or to help out where needed most. 

Pictured above: Fallbrook Beautification Alliance Volunteers participate in a community cleanup event.

  The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance has announced its schedule for  summer group cleanups, in and around Fallbrook. FBA’s program Keeping  Fallbrook Litter Free encourages all residents to get involved in some  way in keeping Fallbrook’s roadways and riverbed free of trash.   

The  KFLF program challenges participants to pick up at least one 5-gallon  bucket of trash, in and around their neighborhood, place of business or  workout area, each week.

In addition to individual trash pickups, KFLF also sponsors monthly group cleanups in particularly trash-filled areas. 

The  group cleanup schedule for this summer includes Don Dassault Park, 832  Alturas Road, from 9-11 a.m., Saturday, June 29; Margarita River Trail,  which will meet at the small parking lot at Sandia Creek, from 9-11  a.m., Saturday, July 27; Ingold Sports Park, 2551 Olive Hill Road, from  9-11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 24. 

To get to Santa Margarita River  Trail from Fallbrook, take DeLuz Road north to Sandia Creek and continue  on Sandia Creek. The small parking lot is on the right, before Rock  Mountain Road. 

All ages of volunteers are welcome, and they  should bring their own reusable buckets, gloves, pickers and water to  help minimize the accumulation of added waste.

Anyone interested in this program or any of FBA’s efforts to help clean Fallbrook can visit http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org or attend the next quarterly meeting of KFLF which will be held at the  Fallbrook Public Utilities District boardroom, Monday, Aug. 12, from  6:30-7:30 p.m. at 990 E Mission Road in Fallbrook.

Pictured above:   Volunteers  work to clean up the Military Memorial site in Fallbrook including,  from left, Jackie Heyneman; Dan Clouse, the steward of the Welcome Home  Tribute, and Marta Donovan.

Dan Clouse of the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance spent over three  weeks clearing away vehicle debris and a large sumac bush that was  destroyed by the impact of a hit-and-run accident on East Mission Road  in Fallbrook in April 2019. 

Clouse, along with fellow steward of  the Military Memorial site, Tom Peterson, cleared the weeds and pruned  all the bushes and trees on the site. 

The recent accident damaged  the area and destroyed a large section of split rail fence that lined  the East Mission Road side of the memorial. The fence was originally  installed by FBA and Save Our Forest in May 2012 and has been repaired  occasionally. 

Representatives from both organizations and the  Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce came together to repair the fence after  the accident and to clean up the native landscaping. Jason Springsteen, who helped install lighting for the American flag  that flies at the site, identified the materials needed for the fence  repair, which was funded by the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce. Clouse  purchased and installed new reflectors along the split rail fence,  hoping to prevent future accidents. 

The Military Memorial was  dedicated in September 2009, and many organizations and individuals have  added to the commemorative site, installing a new flagpole, upgrading  the lighting, planting oak trees and adding the decorative split rail  fence. 

A boulder beyond the fence holds a memorial plaque with  the following dedication to Fallbrook’s military: “In Honor Of Those Who  Bravely Serve This Country....Welcome Home.” 

Anyone interested in this project or other ways to help maintain the beauty of Fallbrook can visit http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org to find out how they can get involved. 

Pictured above:   Brenda Carden and Joe Beyer marvel at all the litter, including a broken windshield off Sandia Creek Road. 

 The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance held a "Keeping Fallbrook  Litter Free Santa Margarita Watershed Cleanup" Saturday, March 30.  Fifteen volunteers collected approximately 50 five-gallon buckets of  litter in the area. 

The "Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free" program  has created 50 distinct clean up zones in the Fallbrook and surrounding  area, encouraging volunteers who live and work in those areas to make a  weekly commitment to pick up one five-gallon bucket of trash and  recycling each week. In the month of March, the teams cleaned up 305  five-gallon buckets. 

In addition to this ongoing effort, the group hosts periodic cleanups  of particularly challenging or trashy areas. At the watershed clean up,  new and existing volunteers came together, including Scott Gallan, Zone  9 captain, scouted the area, identifying the location in Santa  Margarita requiring the most cleanup. Zone 15 captain Joe Beyer helped  redirect volunteers to the main clean up areas. New group volunteers  Robin Brush, Patty Lacroix, Julie, Jean-Luc and Arianna Annet from De  Luz, Sheila Simmons of De Luz and Martin Quiroz of Essex Mortgage and  Rotary Club joined in the cleanup. 

Items found and averted from  the watershed include: broken windshield and car debris, steam vacuum  cleaner, broken road caution sign that were washed out from the winter  rainstorms, plastic car cover, discarded cat in a box, sofa, a TV set  and construction debris. 

With the assistance of park ranger Taylor Burnell, who was on the  scene to assist, the FBA volunteers were able to report the sofa and  television in the gorge. Burnell reassured the group that his team would  remove these heavy items soon. Burnell shared the following message  with the volunteers. 

"It was incredible to see what just a few people in a morning can do," he said. 

Volunteers  Brenda Carden, Sue Jackson, Joe Beyer and Robin Brush helped sort  through the litter, as 30% of the items were recyclable. 

Anyone who is interested in this program and any others FBA has initiated to help keep Fallbrook beautiful can visit http://www.fallbrookbeautification.org or attend FBA's next "Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free" meeting from 7-9  p.m., May 13, at the Fallbrook Public Utility District board room. RSVP  with Marta Donovan at (760) 405-4054.

Pictured above:   Fallbrook Beautification Alliance member Brenda Carden, right, is seen  with her grandson Liam Schueneman and his father Cody Schueneman at the  FBA booth at Arts in the Park. 

Children decorated empty tennis ball canisters to hold old used  household batteries until they can be properly disposed of at multiple  recycling locations in Fallbrook with help from the Fallbrook  Beautification Alliance at the recent Arts In The Park event, April 28.  Their booth and recycling craft taught both parents and children the  importance of responsibly recycling the hazardous material.

Household  batteries may be dropped off at three local food markets through the  efforts of FBA and the Fallbrook Village Rotary. The local markets are  Major Market, Albertson's and Northgate Market. Recycling containers may  be found at or near the front door at each location, and additional  drop off spots are located in the Fallbrook Library and at EDCO Waste  Collection and Recycling Center at 550 W. Aviation Road. 

FBA  member Brenda Carden created and coordinated the recycling craft as  identifying a safe and secure spot to keep old batteries at home is the  first step in developing good recycling habits. 

Pictured above:  Jean and Jim Dooley and their dog, Durango...along with family members, have been cleaning up Pico Promenade for close to 20 years.

Not everyone in Fallbrook knows about the four blocks of scenic pathways that run between Elder and Fallbrook Streets, just West of downtown Main Avenue.   This unique stretch is fondly named the Pico Promenade as the pathway heads South from where S. Pico ends at Elder Street.   Although not know to all, every foot of the Promenade is well know to Jean Dooley, who has been picking up trash and helping to beautify the stretch for almost 20 years.

Jean volunteered initially at the request of the Fallbrook Village Association, who was looking for volunteers to pick up trash around town.  That was back in the year 2000.   "The first thing I asked for were trashcans", Jean shared when asked about her long time service, "as there were none in place at the time".   For years Jean, along with her previous baby-sitter cleaned the paths, but after her sitter moved away in 2003, Jean's husband Jim took her place, working with her to pick up trash and empty the trashcans.  During that time, care for the Pico Promenade was adopted by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance, who along with Save our Forest, various Eagle Scouts, and other interested citizens and students, added and painted benches, installed decorative fencing, replaced plants and signage and continue to fight to eliminate graffiti.    In 2014 their dog Durango joined the team!    

In early March Jean managed the installation of five new trashcans, funded by a grant received by the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance.  The heavy duty trashcans, constructed of heavy steel were ordered with a special protective cover to keep rain water out and trash in.   Jean and her "team of two" pick up trash along the pathway, including
cigarette butts, and empty all the trashcans.  They place the collected trash in a trash bin provided at no cost by EDCO Waste & Recycling.   The many collected cigarette butts are
added to those responsibly disposed of by smokers in the cigarette recycling unit located next to one of the benches, also provided by the FBA.  Once a month Jean packages all the collected cigarette butts in a box which she mails to Terracycle Recycling Company to be recycled into a variety of industrial products such as plastic pallets, and where the remaining tobacco is composted.  

Another person and business that was a major help is Brad Urqhart, owner of Fallbrook Fertilizer Feed and Farm Supplies, a business that is adjacent to the Promenade.  "Mr. Urqhart accepted the delivery of the trashcans and kept them safely on his property until the installation was scheduled", Jean shared.    And with an eye to the best use of all resources both new and used, Jean and Jim felt that three of the five old trashcans removed may have still had some life in them so they were donated to the Fallbrook Land Conservancy who was able to conveniently collect them up from the Farm Supply store.  Mr. Urqhart agreed to get rid of the remaining unusable cans as part of his company's trash collection.   Jean complimented Mr. Urquart's saying "he has been a wonderful supporter. He donates water to Save Our Forest group for the plantings along the pathway, provides the loaner cart we use when picking up trash, and took care of all our needs with the installation of the new trashcans".     

Although Jean and Jim welcome any volunteer help, they are committed.   Jean closed by saying, "our family, (two sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, sister-in-law and nephew) all have special t-shirts and help us with the Pico pick-up when they visit during the holidays".    Now that is dedication.  

FBA's next project is to raise money to install additional cigarette butt recycling units and pet waste stations.    If you are interested in this or any other project the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance is involved in helping to maintain and beautify Fallbrook's public spaces, please visit www.fallbookbeautification.org

Shown above from left to right: The Annet family-Julie, Jean-Luc, and Arianna; Sheila Simmons; and Marta Donovan surrounded by the litter collected from a March, 2019 cleanup of the Santa Margarita Preserve.  

Items found include a  sofa, television, steam vacuum cleaner, car accident debris, construction debris, car cover, dead cat in a box, etc.  

30% of the litter items were abled to be recycled at EDCO.   

"Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free" is the goal of the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance for 2019. The program kickoff and first community-wide cleanup was held Saturday, Jan. 12th at Don Dussault County Park, and several cleanup events have been held since then.

After years of hosting semiannual cleanups around Fallbrook, the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance recognized that an ongoing effort, engaging volunteers throughout the year, would be a more effective way to address the trash problem along local roadways, ravines, parks and neighborhoods.

Partnering with I Love A Clean San Diego and Adopt-A-Road, Todd Jester of the Fallbrook Public Utility District and Marta Donovan, coordinator of the Keeping Fallbrook Litter Free program, divided central Fallbrook into 20 zones, covering 49 square miles in total.  

The program goal is for a "zone captain" to adopt each zone and, working with a team of volunteers, to keep that zone trash free. Each volunteer is challenged to pick up at least one 5-gallon bucket worth of litter each week. 

The Fallbrook Beautification Alliance offers each participant who enrolls a safety vest, a 5-gallon bucket, a litter grabber and work gloves. With the help of the zone captains, the group will track the program's success based on the amount of trash collected monthly, and the results will be posted on the organization's website. 

Studies have shown that trash left on streets and parks may decrease property values, spread disease and make these areas less pedestrian and children friendly. With approximately 80 percent of coastal trash coming from inland watersheds, volunteers are making a difference in the ocean's health as well as in local creek beds, canyons and communities. 

Additionally, Fallbrook Beautification Alliance provides credits to volunteers in need of school community service hours.

To see which zone a home or business is in, visit https://arcg.is/0irSqC. 

For more information or to enroll in the program, please call 

Marta Donovan at 760-405-4054.

 In January, after several months of soil and site preparation, the staff of Landscape One, Inc. installed new plants and hardscape in the South Mission Medians.