Regional commercial airline pilot Joseph Leatherman has another avocation to include as part of his portfolio \u2013 domestic beach cleaner and environmental advocate extraordinaire.<\/p>\n
Leatherman dropped into Ocean Beach on March 10 to host the community\u2019s inaugural Spring Beach Cleanup. He has also, along with local volunteers, cleaned Mission Beach as well as Pacific Beach and La Jolla.<\/p>\n
Why does he do it? He said it started as a challenge from his then-girlfriend. It became so meaningful to him, it is now a regular part of his itinerary.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been doing beach cleanups for seven years now,\u201d said Leatherman, adding he started out in Seattle with his ex-girlfriend whom he said \u201cused to do beach cleanups in Alaska for a living\u201d which became \u201cone of the things we did as an activity.\u201d<\/p>\n
At about the same time, Leatherman also became environmentally aware and active starting a Facebook group, Eco-Crews, which has since grown to more than 800 members. Eco-Crews\u2019 sole purpose is to promote environmental activism.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started this group as a social space, but it went from just social outings to more of a life-changing mission,\u201d he said adding, \u201cIt was a passion that I grew into.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ex-girlfriend challenged me on New Year\u2019s to go out and pick up garbage for half an hour a weekend,\u201d said Leatherman of the onset of his environmental activism. \u201cBut I did one better and started picking up garbage half an hour a day. I ended up doing it every day, and I did that for two solid years.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was then that Leatherman\u2019s new avocation really took off. \u201cIt was so inspiring to change the environment back to where it should be, restore it,\u201d he said. \u201cI was also able to meet people who share the same passion. I wanted to inspire others to really look at the environment as something that is tangible, that we can change for the better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert Brandy, owner of Brew Wave Coffee on Newport Avenue in OB, met Leatherman when the pilot came into his place for a cup of joe. \u201cI\u2019m just so impressed with this guy who cleans the beaches every time he comes into town and takes videos and photographs of the cleaning,\u201d Brandy said. \u201cAnd he does this out of the goodness of his heart. I told him, \u2018Let us support you. I know some people in OB we could grassroots a cleanup with.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Being goal-oriented, Leatherman noted that, whenever he is in town, he likes to \u201cgive back to the experience, rather than just being a tourist and soaking up the energy. Beach cleanups to me \u2026 probably the most romantic thing I could possibly do is to beautify the environment. I want to be able to share the model of being environmentally positive with local people, surf shops, and restaurants. I tell them, \u2018Let\u2019s connect and do this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Leatherman\u2019s influence extends to his fellow pilots whom he encourages to join in his beach-cleaning forays. He even goes so far as to bring his own cleaning materials with him when he comes to town.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the time when I travel, I take my pickers and garbage bags and gloves with me,\u201d he said. \u201cI always try to do a cleanup to give back to the communities. I travel with a purpose, and that is to improve the environment wherever I go. Hopefully, I can inspire people to get out and change their world.\u201d<\/p>\n
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