Litter is a sometimes inadvertent, sometimes thoughtless, discarding of trash. Most people are responsible and do not litter. However overflowing trash cans do create litter in the park and in the lake itself. As the park is being used more often as the place to enjoy take out meals during the COVID-19 restrictions trash receptacles around the lake are being overfilled at an unacceptable rate for servicing. The public needs to not overfill garbage bins; the City needs to service the bins more often. Park workers cannot keep pace with the level of discarded trash that is occurring. Efforts are underway to help solve the problem, but in the meantime visitors need to Pack In / Pack out, whatever is brought to the park needs to leave with you.  Be responsible for your own trash while the City tries to find an answer to the extra servicing now needed on a daily basis. Let's keep the lake area as beautiful as it truly is for all to enjoy. Pack In / Pack out and be responsible. Report overflowing trash bins using Oakland 311 app*. 

ForHerePlease / Fit4Good / MudLab in conjunction with Oakland's Adopt-A-Spot program are sponsoring a summer litter clean up contest. Summer Litter contest. Visit Mudlab (formerly Perch Cafe on Grand Ave) for in-person information.  This project will help but not solve nor resolve the litter problem.

 *Below are Oakland 311 "Litter Bins overflowing" posts reposted  below to show the state of trash that is happening.  These represent just the tip of the litterberg overtaking the park. The 311 system is slow to actually respond and doesn't stop the situation from repeating.                        JK