Volunteer Lake Clean Up

 

Trash Collection

 

We pick up trash. We remove it from the water, not the land, using nets to scoop it out and toss it into trash bags. Five days a week when school is in session and four days a week at other times, we clean the shoreline of Lake Merritt. We average removing 6,000 gallons of trash per month.

Clean Up Days

Volunteer clean ups are sponsored every Tuesday at 10 am & every Saturday at 10 am.  No registration required unless you’re a large group.  Meet us at the Lake Merritt Institute office, 568 Bellevue Avenue, next to the parking lot, in Lakeside Park. 

Volunteers usually work for between two and three hours during a shift. Gloves are provided. 

 

U-Clean-It Stations

To aid in removing trash from the water, we have established four “U-Clean-It” boxes around Lake Merritt.  Individuals who have been trained from our Clean Up Days may work alone using one of the four “U-Clean-It” boxes around the Lake where you will find gloves, trash bags, barrels, nets, directions and sign in sheet.  Each box contains nets, two trash barrels, trash bags, gloves, instructions and sign in sheet. They are located near:

• The Grand Avenue & Harrison St. intersection.
• Between the Lake Chalet restaurant and the Cameron Stanford House along Lakeside Drive.
• At the E. 18th St. and Lakeshore Drive dock.
• By the columns structure, at the end of the Lake between Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Drive

U-Clean-It Box Instructions

1. 1. Attend a Safety Training
      Join us for a quick safety training at 10 am on Tuesdays or Saturdays to receive the code for our equipment access box. If you’re unable to attend at these times, please email us at info@lakemerrittinstitute.org to schedule an alternative appointment.
   2. Sign In
      Use the sign-in sheet inside the box. Your participation helps us track volunteer contributions and secure funding for our programs!
   3. Return Equipment and Report Trash Collected
      After your cleanup, please return all equipment and supplies to the same box. Don’t forget to record the total number of trash bags collected next to your name—this data is essential for our reports.

 

Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteer Groups!

We are deeply grateful to the many classrooms, local organizations, businesses, and corporations who join us in caring for Lake Merritt. Your dedication and enthusiasm for community service bring real change to our local environment, and we couldn’t do it without you! Thank you for standing with us to protect and preserve our city’s unique urban lake.

Check out the latest groups on our blog who came down for community service!