Press Release - March 29, 2016

HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 27 PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS STATEWIDE

California State Parks Foundation Hosts 18th Annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup Presented by PG&E on Saturday, April 16

SAN FRANCISCO — On Saturday, April 16, 2016, California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) will host its 18th Annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup presented by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) at 27 state parks across California. More than 3,000 volunteers are needed to help with environmental improvement projects statewide. In addition to being the presenting sponsor for 12 years running, PG&E provides a large portion of volunteers, sending employees to 10 participating state parks as far north as Jenner to as far south as San Luis Obispo.

Other sponsors include the Nature Conservancy, Subway Restaurants, Edison International, Oracle, Goldman Sachs, Southern California Gas Company and Microsoft.

The annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup event offers Californians a great opportunity to make a hands on difference for Earth Day by volunteering in state parks. This year, volunteers are needed to install food storage lockers at campgrounds, repair fencing and gates, plant native and drought tolerant vegetation, install rain barrels and remove trash and invasive plants to create a more welcoming and sustainable environment for visitors. These and the other projects planned for the event benefit the parks greatly. Individuals, groups and businesses are sought to volunteer with their communities to help improve the quality, safety and preservation of California’s 280 amazing state parks.

“We are proud to host this meaningful Earth Day event 18 years running,” said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of CSPF. “Our annual event provides Californians across the state a great opportunity to honor the Earth Day tradition with real service, not lip service.”

“The Nature Conservancy has helped to create and build over 21 California state parks and we’re thrilled to help restore these natural treasures for both people and nature,” said Liz Harvey, Director of Individual Giving at The Nature Conservancy in California.

PG&E is providing a $200,000 grant to CSPF for the supplies and materials needed to complete 10 Earth Day projects in Northern and Central California.

“Environmental stewardship is one of the values we live by at PG&E. We look forward to participating once again in the annual Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup, and we encourage Californians to join us in preserving the natural spaces that help make our state so special,” said Tony Earley, PG&E Corporation Chairman and CEO.

Since its inception in 1998, CSPF’s Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup program has resulted in 81,670 participants contributing more than 334,300 volunteer hours, worth nearly $6.39 million in park maintenance and improvements. Additionally, nearly $5 million has been raised to support the Earth Day program.

To volunteer on Earth Day, visit calparks.org/earthday or call 1-888-98-PARKS. Space is limited, so advance registration is required. Parking fees are waived for Earth Day volunteers.

In-kind sponsors include SUBWAY restaurants, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Nature's Path, Lundberg Family Farms and Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Media sponsors for 2016 include: KTVU-TV Channel 2 and KICU-TV, Big 103.7, STAR 101.3, Half Moon Bay Review, Marin Independent Journal and World Journal in San Francisco Bay Area; Santa Cruz Sentinel; the Sonoma Media Group including Froggy 92.9 and KSRO in Sonoma; BHH Radio Campesina, KSOF-AM and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno; Chino Hills Champion, San Clemente Times, Dana Point Times, The Capistrano Dispatch and Orange Coast Magazine in Orange County; KCCL, Auburn Journal and Folsom Telegraph in Sacramento; KSTT-FM in San Luis Obispo; Santa Barbara News Press in Santa Barbara; 93.1 JACK FM, KROQ FM, and CBS in Los Angeles; FOX 5 in San Diego.