Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Ocean Beach trash altruist

Cameron Reid covers Niagara and Narragansett, Sunset Cliffs to Abbott.

48 hours of trash
48 hours of trash

About nine weeks ago, Cameron Reid was so fed up with the overflowing trashcans in Ocean Beach that he bought and installed cardboard trash bins and placed them around town. To this day, despite having a full-time job, he continues to maintain them with the help of the community.

Parks and Recreation trash cans

“I’ve paid for everything,” Reid explains. “I’m in for about $300 so far. I started with 20, and five were removed or destroyed within a couple days. So then I put out ten more…over the past few weeks some more have been removed or destroyed. So I think I’m back to around 20.”

Reid, who’s been in OB for four years, is serving his second term as the Community Enhancement Chair for the Ocean Beach Town Council.

Sponsored
Sponsored

He volunteers along with the OB Street Stewards, who, on July 9, wrote shared his request for help via their Facebook page: ‘You may have noticed these cardboard containers put up around busy areas by the amazing Cameron Reid. As of now he is emptying all of them every couple days and it is a massive job. We are looking for some stewards to show interest in helping.’

The cardboard bins paid for by Reid. "I think I’m back to around 20.”

Reid says that by networking, he’s hoping more people will step up and help.

“We are trying to get more people involved so that I don’t have to be a the OB trash man for the rest of the year. Hoping people will each adopt a trashcan similar to adopting a street like the Street Stewards. Unfortunately it hasn’t really taken off yet so I continue to service all the cans three-four times a week.”

Community support includes sharing of dumpsters and trucks.

“Actually I keep it local,” he replies when asked about going to the landfill. “I don’t own the truck, I just borrow it during pick-up days. I use dumpsters in OB that people have offered to let me use. I really don’t care about the money spent. It’s just the man-hours. I have a full-time job, so I do this in the mornings or afternoons. I really just want more people to help or again have the city step in. The current model isn’t sustainable and truly my back is really starting to pay the price.

Messages left

I had been putting them down at Veterans Plaza (Newport Ave. and Abbot) but that was just a lost cause; I had kept a couple near the encampment setup at Santa Monica (and Bacon) but after a few weeks of changing the trash there I just felt like I was exposing myself to Covid way too much…I always wear a mask and blow threw bottles of sanitizer, but changing trash goes aerosol, so I stopped going there.”

The trash bins are now located between Niagara and Narragansett; Sunset Cliffs to Abbott.

“I’m just trying to implement known solutions to some of our common community issues…I’m also corresponding secretary for the Ocean Beach Town Council so I can very much speak to the massive silence from elected officials,” he added. “We and the OBMA have sent countless messages, letters, requests, demands, pleas to the city and county for help with this and the public alcohol consumption, drug consumption and distribution, mass gatherings, unpermitted food vending, noise pollution, vehicle habitation, oversized vehicles, parking overnight in city lots…crickets back. At least before they would respond with false promises and political spin. Now they just don’t even acknowledge us.”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Gilbert Castellanos, Buddha Trixie, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Shane Hall, Brian Jones Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival

Grand Socials, gigs, and record releases in Del Mar, City Heights, Solana Beach, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach
Next Article

Gonzo Report: Stinkfoot Orchestra conjures Zappa at Winstons

His music is a blend of technical excellence and not-so-subtle humor
48 hours of trash
48 hours of trash

About nine weeks ago, Cameron Reid was so fed up with the overflowing trashcans in Ocean Beach that he bought and installed cardboard trash bins and placed them around town. To this day, despite having a full-time job, he continues to maintain them with the help of the community.

Parks and Recreation trash cans

“I’ve paid for everything,” Reid explains. “I’m in for about $300 so far. I started with 20, and five were removed or destroyed within a couple days. So then I put out ten more…over the past few weeks some more have been removed or destroyed. So I think I’m back to around 20.”

Reid, who’s been in OB for four years, is serving his second term as the Community Enhancement Chair for the Ocean Beach Town Council.

Sponsored
Sponsored

He volunteers along with the OB Street Stewards, who, on July 9, wrote shared his request for help via their Facebook page: ‘You may have noticed these cardboard containers put up around busy areas by the amazing Cameron Reid. As of now he is emptying all of them every couple days and it is a massive job. We are looking for some stewards to show interest in helping.’

The cardboard bins paid for by Reid. "I think I’m back to around 20.”

Reid says that by networking, he’s hoping more people will step up and help.

“We are trying to get more people involved so that I don’t have to be a the OB trash man for the rest of the year. Hoping people will each adopt a trashcan similar to adopting a street like the Street Stewards. Unfortunately it hasn’t really taken off yet so I continue to service all the cans three-four times a week.”

Community support includes sharing of dumpsters and trucks.

“Actually I keep it local,” he replies when asked about going to the landfill. “I don’t own the truck, I just borrow it during pick-up days. I use dumpsters in OB that people have offered to let me use. I really don’t care about the money spent. It’s just the man-hours. I have a full-time job, so I do this in the mornings or afternoons. I really just want more people to help or again have the city step in. The current model isn’t sustainable and truly my back is really starting to pay the price.

Messages left

I had been putting them down at Veterans Plaza (Newport Ave. and Abbot) but that was just a lost cause; I had kept a couple near the encampment setup at Santa Monica (and Bacon) but after a few weeks of changing the trash there I just felt like I was exposing myself to Covid way too much…I always wear a mask and blow threw bottles of sanitizer, but changing trash goes aerosol, so I stopped going there.”

The trash bins are now located between Niagara and Narragansett; Sunset Cliffs to Abbott.

“I’m just trying to implement known solutions to some of our common community issues…I’m also corresponding secretary for the Ocean Beach Town Council so I can very much speak to the massive silence from elected officials,” he added. “We and the OBMA have sent countless messages, letters, requests, demands, pleas to the city and county for help with this and the public alcohol consumption, drug consumption and distribution, mass gatherings, unpermitted food vending, noise pollution, vehicle habitation, oversized vehicles, parking overnight in city lots…crickets back. At least before they would respond with false promises and political spin. Now they just don’t even acknowledge us.”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Gonzo Report: Stinkfoot Orchestra conjures Zappa at Winstons

His music is a blend of technical excellence and not-so-subtle humor
Next Article

Yo-Yo Ma, Wagner, and Tchaikovsky come to San Diego

Comments
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Aug. 11, 2020
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Nov. 23, 2020
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.