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09.10.18

#MyCleanH2OStory: Deby Wozniak

Written by: Deby Wozniak, Owner,  Happy Tails Dog and Cat Walking Service, Baja California*

I am originally from the Washington DC area but I have lived in Pacific Beach for 20 years and I am a true ocean lover. I spend a lot of time on the beach. While living in Pacific Beach I participated in occasional beach clean ups but my clean water story really began when I started spending more time in Baja California, Mx. Being so close to Mexico I started frequenting a little beach just a few miles south of the border called San Antonio del Mar.

It is a cute beach but it is absolutely littered with trash and it suffers from sewage ridden waters. The trash and sewage defeat the purpose of what could be an enjoyable beach experience for all. I wanted to do something to raise awareness and clean the beach up. I approached a few local business owners up and down the Baja and Surfrider with my idea for a beach clean up.

The response was overwhelming. There was so much excitement in the lead-up to the event and on the actual day. Volunteers from both sides of the border came to spend the morning with us. We had about 40 volunteers collect 75 bags of trash followed by a few drinks and laughs after a hard days work. Although we all walked away with a sense of accomplishment, it was unfortunately not enough. Our cleanup did not even make a dent in the debris on this beach. I hope this story reaches out to people on both sides of the border and motivates them to start taking care of their environment. I also hope to see you next July at our 2 nd annual SADM cleanup!

*#mycleanh2ostory is written by local activists who are fighting for clean water.