Catherine Crockett

Check out our Events and Volunteer Opportunities

Visit our Calendar of Events for year-round local actions and volunteer opportunities. Volunteers are invited to help out in any number of activities around Monterey County.

Citizens for Sustainable Marina (C4SM) holds weekly community gardening and cleanup events and outings to sweep out invasive French Broom. 

Volunteers with Sustainable Del Rey Oaks meet the second Saturday of each month from 10 am to 12 pm at the Butterfly Garden (next to the Del Rey Oaks Garden Center and the tennis courts) to help tend the pollinator garden and beautify the garden.

Sustainable Seaside partners with Friends of Seaside Parks (FOSPA) each Saturday morning to create and maintain pollinator gardens in neighborhood parks in Seaside.

Sustainable Pacific Grove holds Trash Pickup events in Pacific Grove.

Find details about these and other events on the Event Calendar.

By Catherine Crockett, ago

Garden Classes – Summer 2024 Session

Growing and Harvesting

July 1 through September 18
Where: PG Community Garden, 210 Ridge Road

Registration:
In person:  PG Adult School, 210 Ridge Road in Pacific Grove
By phone:  (831)646-6580
Online:  https://pgusd.asapconnected.com/

This class is a 10-week exploration of planning and planting seeds in a sequence of ensure a continuous harvest throughout the growing seasons. When your garden is producing a lot of food, harvesting and storing produce cannot be ignored.

From proper harvesting management and methods to post-harvest handling and storage, you will acquire the skills necessary to preserve the quality and freshness of your home-grown produce.  Sign up and cultivate your passion for growing food for your table!

Organic Gardening for Summer

July 2 through September 19
Where: PG Community Garden, 210 Ridge Road

Registration:
In person:  PG Adult School, 210 Ridge Road in Pacific Grove
By phone:  (831)646-6580
Online:  https://pgusd.asapconnected.com/

This class is a practical guide to growing food in a garden. It includes soil preparation and provides a simplified planting schedule to begin the growing season. A variety of vegetable and herb seeds are selected for the class and our local climate. 

From soil to seed, watering, and pest, harvest to table, we’ll cover it all!  You’ll “roll up your sleeves” and plant seeds, transplant starts, water, and weed.  Best of all, everyone shares in the harvest!

By Catherine Crockett, ago

CSMC 2024 Earth Day Events

Saturday, April 13, 9 am – 1 pm
Earth Day Marina, Locke Paddon Park
190 Seaside Circle, Marina

Saturday, April 13, 10 am – 12 noon
Pacific Grove Spring Trash Pickup
Meet at Jewell Park, Pacific Grove

Saturday, April 20, 10 am – 2 pm
Carmel Earth & Arbor Day Celebration
Devendorf Park, 6th Mission Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea

Saturday, April 20, 12 noon – 2 pm
Del Rey Oaks Earth Day Celebration and Ice Cream Social
Del Rey Park, 999 Angelus Way, Del Rey Oaks

Saturday, April 21, 1 pm – 4 pm
Seaside Earth Day Celebration & EV Test Drive/Ride/Display Show
Seaside City Hall Lawn and parking lot
440 Harcourt Avenue, Seaside

Monday, April 22, 3 pm – 4:30 pm
Salinas Earth Day & Community Garden Birthday
Natividad Creek Community Garden, 1395 Nogal Drive, Salinas

By Catherine Crockett, ago

April 21, 2024, Seaside Earth Day Celebration


LOCAL EVENTS

Sept 23, 2023

Sustainable Seaside and the City of Seaside invite the public to its 13th Annual Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, April 21, from 1 pm to 4 pm, on the Seaside City Hall grounds, 440 Harcourt Avenue in Seaside, CA.  Activities are planned all afternoon, with everything from a community park clean-up to an Electric Vehicle Test Drive/Ride/Display Show. 

Seaside Mayor Pro Tem, Dave Pacheco will emcee the stage program.  Activities include:  

  • Electric Vehicle Ride, Drive, and Display Show:  EV experts, both English and Spanish-speaking, will be on hand to answer questions about EV purchase incentives and ownership.  Attendees can chat with EV owners and take a spin in one of the latest EV models on loan from certified dealers.  Drivers over 21 with a valid driver’s license can pre-sign up for a test drive at evsforeveryone.org/events.  Drop-ins are welcome.  
  • Trashion Show: Turning trash into wearable fashion, designers will model outfits created using recycled and reclaimed materials.
  • e-Waste Collection Station:  Old or unused computers and printers will be collected and donated to Loaves, Fishes, & Computers for data-scrubbing and refurbishing for low-income families.
  • Over 25 Green Exhibitors:  Organizations, businesses, and agencies at the forefront of local waste reduction and sustainability will offer resources and information about adopting sustainable practices.
  • Live music: Performances by Palenke Arts youth ensembles:  Danza Folklórica Mexicana, the Bilingual Youth Chorus, and the Latin Jazz Combo. 
  • Tree Planting Demo: A certified arborist will present a “Tree Planting & Care” demonstration on the City Hall lawn.  Seaside residents and businesses can learn about and sign up for the City’s Tree Giveaway program.
  • Tomato Starts:  Several varieties of organically grown tomato starts, selected for hardiness in the Central Coast growing zone, will be available for an optional $2 donation per plant. 
  • Kid’s Zone:  Fun and educational Earth Day-inspired activities for children
  • Free Raffle:  All attendees are eligible for a chance to win eco-friendly prizes donated by local merchants.
  • Food Truck:  Big Sur Tacos will be on the City Hall grounds, serving freshly made, reasonably-priced Mexican street food favorites.

      Community Gardening event at Beta Park in Seaside, Saturday, April 20, from 10 am to 12 noon:  In collaboration with Seaside’s vibrant Earth Day festivities, Friends of Seaside Parks Association (FOSPA) invites v to join them at Beta Park, (located between Vallejo and Luzern streets, off Elm Avenue in Seaside).  Volunteers can help tend the pollinator gardens and pick up litter and enjoy refreshments and gardening-inspired giveaways.

      Full details can be found at the event website sustainablemontereycounty.org/seaside-2024-earth-day

      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      Seaside Earth Day Celebration

      Join us for Seaside’s 204 Earth Day Celebration!

      Seaside City Hall Lawn
      440 Harcourt Avenue Seaside, CA 93955

      Click here for more details

      It’s a community-wide event dedicated to raising awareness about protecting our planet.  This annual event promises an exciting lineup of earth-friendly activities and fun for all ages.

      Watch a live performance by Palenke Arts Chorus, Ballet Folklórico, and Latin Jazz Band.  Test drive or ride in an electric vehicle! Learn from experts about EV purchase incentives. Enter the Free Raffle to win earth-friendly prizes.  Start your summer garden with $2 tomato starts!

      Immerse yourself in the spirit of Earth Day as we showcase creative fashion designs in our Trashion Show from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Designs must be made of at least 90% recycled or repurposed materials, and you can model it with your favorite music! Sign up by April 10 with Susan at sragsdalecronin@comcast.net or visit tinyurl.com/Seaside-2024-Trashion-Show

      Mark your calendar and bring your friends and family to the Seaside Earth Day Celebration at Seaside City Hall Lawn. Let’s come together to celebrate our planet and take steps towards a more sustainable world.

      Trashion Show Call for Entries

      Seaside Trashion Show 2024 flyer English

      2024 Earth Day Poetry & Essay Contest

      Area High School and College/University students are invited to participate in Sustainable Seaside’s 2024 Earth Day Essay & Poetry Contest.  There is no charge to participate. This year’s theme is “Healing the Earth:  It’s Our Turn to Lead.”  Entries must be received no later than April 1, 2024.

      1.  Complete the online Google form found at https://forms.gle/3NGKtk8m2SSgPqzC9

      2.  Or submit your entry by email. Attach a PDF or WORD document as an email attachment.  Email it to sustainableseaside@gmail.com

      2024-EarthDay-Writing-Contest Eng
      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      Through midnight December 31st, support CSMC’s 2023-2024 home food-gardening project

      Through midnight December 31st, help support CSMC’s Families Grow Healthy project. CSMC is on a mission to help our communities equitably implement sustainable and regenerative practices to slow and adapt to climate change. “Our Families Grow Healthy” is a project that embodies this mission wholeheartedly.  By encouraging and equipping families to grow their own food at home, we will empower them to take charge of their health, the environment, and our future.  

      Match your gift dollar-for-dollar by donating during 2023 Monterey County Gives!

      Monterey County Gives! runs through December 31st.  Please include CSMC in your year-end giving plans.

      Click HERE to learn more about this project and how you to support our “Big Idea”!

      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      Sept 23, 2023, Wetlands Cleanup Event in Del Rey Oaks

      Save Our Shores and Sustainable Del Rey Oaks invite volunteers to participate in a Wetlands Cleanup Event on Saturday, September 23 from 9 am to 12 noon. This event is part of the 2023 California Coastal Cleanup Day.

      Download a printable, shareable flyer

      Meet behind Safeway to clean up the wetland in Work Memorial Park.  The wetland creek flows to the coast where we play, fish, and marine life live.

      Save Our Shores—Coastal Cleanup Day
      W: https://saveourshores.org/coastal-cleanup/
      E: coast4u@coastal.ca.gov

      Sustainable Del Rey Oaks
      Ph: (831) 917-7804
      E: sustainabledelreyoakscsmc@gmail.com

      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      October 25, 2023, An Evening of Hope: A Conversation with Paul Hawken

      Can We End Climate Change In One Generation?

      We Think So! Together.

      Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Oct 25, 2023, 4 pm – 7 pm PDT.  Held at CSU Monterey Bay’s LEED-certified Otter Student Union at CSU Monterey Bay, 3118 Inter-Garrison Road Seaside, CA 93955

      Visit the event page HERE to find details about Tickets, Sponsorships, and FAQs.

      Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Paul Hawken discuss his visionary approach to climate change, one that weaves justice, climate, biodiversity, equity, and human dignity into a seamless tapestry of action, policy and transformation that can end the climate crisis in one generation. 

       Purchase a parking permit in advance HERE.

      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      Monterey County Gives! Sustainable Seaside’s 2020 “Big Idea”: Making Seaside the Best Bee City in California

      The Big Idea

      Pollinators are responsible for 1 in 3 bites we eat and the reproduction of 90 percent of the world’s flowering plant species. In addition to making it easier to be a backyard beekeeper in Seaside, the city of Seaside proudly became an affiliate member of Bee City USA in April 2019. Sustainable Seaside—one of eight local affiliates of Communities for Sustainable Monterey County—seeks to secure funding to support the continuation and expansion of pollinator gardens in 2020 and beyond. Funds are used to purchase drought-tolerant flowering plants that are recognized attractors for pollinating bee species, butterflies, birds and other insects. The volunteers also hope to install rainwater harvest systems where possible. In addition to beautiful pollinator gardens, this project will foster healthy, outdoor community-building opportunities for all ages.

      By Catherine Crockett, ago

      CSMC honored as an outstanding nonprofit at NAMC’s 6th Annual Nonprofit Awards Celebration

      The Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County honored Denyse Frischmuth and Communities for Sustainable Monterey County (CSMC) at their 6th Annual Nonprofit Awards Celebration September 13, 2019, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Monterey Bay in Seaside.  The award recognized CSMC as an outstanding nonprofit for promoting and advancing environmental sustainability.

      CSMC’s work includes advocacy to our elected officials at the county and municipal levels to bring about green environmental policies resulting in reduced CO2 emissions and the decrease of ocean plastic pollution; awareness-raising programs and projects on issues central to climate change and the decline of our natural resources, and about solutions everyone can participate in, e.g. Green Living Tours, community organic gardens, local organic food farmers’ markets, waste reduction, composting, tree canopy coverage, and more.  

      The impact of CSMC’s thousands of  volunteers’ work  is felt from Big Sur, to Marina and Salinas.

      Joseph Grainger, Executive Director at Harden Foundation, presents the award to CSMC President, Denyse Frischmuth.
      Catherine Crockett and Cathy Rivera (both with Sustainable Seaside chapter), stand with Denyse & Robert Frischmuth. (both with Sustainable Pacific Grove)
      By Catherine Crockett, ago