South San Francisco, CA September 20, 2016 by Cicely Hand
Over 85 Kaiser Permanente physicians and staff were part of Coastal Cleanup Day at Rockaway Beach
Over 85 Kaiser Permanente physicians and staff were Earth Heroes for a morning, during California Coastal Cleanup Day in Pacifica on September 17th. Dennis Nakamura, MD, at South San Francisco’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, and the unofficial lead for this event, was thrilled with the large Saturday morning turnout.
It included 30 physicians, their families and friends, who all walked Sharp Park Beach and cleaned up 2 miles of cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic packaging and construction materials to name a few. This event holds a special place in Nakamura’s heart.
“I love going to the beach. It reminds me of summer days as a youth spent at Playa del Rey in Los Angeles and surf fishing with my Dad. We need to take care of our environment, not destroy it. If we don’t do it, who will?”
Kaiser’s motto “Keep Calm & Thrive” is a way of life for employees – and patients!
During the last two years, there have been some very strange items that have turned up on the beach. One doctor found a perfectly good pair of fisherman’s pliers.
This year, Dr. Ed Kao, of Radiology, found a car side-view mirror and the remnants of clothing, sandals, shoes, pants and other car upholstery parts. Speculation is that there had been a car crash there. And another physician found a nearly intact bag of kindling firewood which he wisely took home to recycle in his fireplace.
All in all, 100 trash bags were filled with close to 400 pounds of discarded stuff and trash.