This April, we are celebrating Earth Month and it’s a great time to make our own corners of the planet greener and more welcoming to the species we share it with. The Port is home to several local organizations that volunteer doing special projects, including weed abatement, trash pick-up, landscaping and other valuable initiatives that enhance our public open space as well as provide a service to mother nature. 

Our Sea Scouts and Girl Scouts are always looking for new opportunities to make our Port look great and give back to our local sustainability measures. The Sequoia Yacht Club pursues similar types of measures through their membership as well as their youth sailing and education programs. We are grateful for their volunteer work to uphold our environmental stewardship endeavors.

We also ask our visitors to keep green practices in mind. From picking up trash after your picnic so loose debris doesn’t land in our channel, to teaching our youth to harness science, technology, art and creativity to help protect the environment, let’s work together to safeguard our planet for present and future generations.  
Warm Regards,
Kristine A. Zortman
Executive Director, Port of Redwood City 
The Circle of Slag
Do you know what slag is? Slag is a glass-like by-product left over after a desired metal has been separated from its raw ore. This is an important component to the roads we drive on or bridges we cross, and the Port of Redwood City plays a critical role in the process.  

Our Port is home to SIMS Metal who helps crush old appliances and cars into scrap metal. This is one key part of the circle of slag. Learn more about how slag is created and how the Port is intertwined with the process below.   
Take a stroll down our waterfront walkway  
 
Did you know our waterfront walkway is part of the San Francisco Bay Trail? This 500-mile walking and cycling path meanders around the entire San Francisco Bay which runs through all nine Bay Area counties, 47 cities and across our region’s seven toll bridges.  

To walk around the San Francisco Bay trail near our waterfront, you can take the Belmont Slough to Bedwell Bayfront Park trail. This section of the trail allows you to visit Bair Island Ecological Reserve, our Port and Bedwell Bayfront Park.  

While strolling along our shoreline, be sure to enjoy our local public art which embraces the multi-layers of industry, environment, recreation and harmony the Port offers.
Three things you can do to celebrate Earth Month 
The earth is like our ship, moving us through the endless ocean of space. It sails at just the right speed and distance for sunny summers, cozy winters, and provides us water, shelter and everything we could possibly need. This Earth Month, take a moment to glance around this ship called earth and take some inventory. Is there rust in the cockpit? Does the wood need attention? Has oil seeped into the bilge?  

Here are three easy things you can do this month and every month to keep our ‘ship’ running smoothly:  

  1. Take your crew on a beach or waterway cleanup. You don’t need to be near the ocean or even a body of water to do a cleanup! Litter around city storm drains also end up in our waterways. This is also a great starting point.
  2. Take a plastic-free pledge. Commit to eliminating a few single-use products from your life, like the infamous water bottle. Take the plastic-free pledge here. 
  3. Go engine-free for a day. Challenge yourself to get out of the house without a motor. Going out to eat? Pick a place you can walk to instead. Little actions always add up to reducing our fuel footprint.