“I’ve been hiking the hills around here lately with co-workers, and we see a lot of turkeys.” In the beginning, these birds came as quite a surprise to Danielle. She’d never spotted them on the sidewalks of New York City, her home before she started a job at IBM’s Silicon Valley Lab. Danielle would soon find that this tech campus, tucked away in hills south of San Jose, also boasted a bird nesting program and a butterfly garden. Not surprisingly, Save The Bay sensed a kindred spirit from the start in IBM, a key Bay Day sponsor. Thanks to IBM’s generosity, thousands of people will be able to celebrate San Francisco Bay at dozens of events across the region this Bay Day – October 6, 2018. In its third year, Bay Day seeks to empower everyone to #BeaBayHero and protect our breathtaking home.More than 100 IBM employees did just that at a recent restoration event on the SVL campus. In two hours, these dedicated volunteers transplanted more than 5,000 seedlings – a major step toward building wildlife habitat.  Along the way, we chatted with many of the Bay Heroes who make up IBM: employees and interns with an equal passion for nature and technology. We hope they inspire you to DIG IN at restoration events, tour a historic harbor at Portfest, register to VOTE for our Bay, explore 50+ community events, or DONATE to protect our home for generations – this Bay Day and beyond. Learn more at www.BayDay.org. Meet:

Juan 

Like Save The Bay, Juan believes small steps can make a major difference in reducing pollution. “At home, I always tell my little sisters to fill up their water bottles and reuse them – not to buy plastic ones and toss them, because that hurts the environment.”  

Sushmita 

Sushmita  believes deeply that we must be the voice for vulnerable wildlife. She’s right with Save The Bay in encouraging people to Iearn how their health and our health are intertwined!   “The web of life — animals, people, plants — we all are a part of it. The more people go for walks and see the rarity of certain species, the more they’ll use their voice to protect them.”

Natalie 

Natalie takes after Save The Bay in bringing diverse communities together to protect the environment. She’s amazed by the connections people make volunteering outdoors. “It gets people out of their hustle and bustle of the lab and pressure of the lab, talking about different things. Somebody might not realize, ‘hey, we both love to garden.’”

Vamseedhar 

Just as Save The Bay Executive Director David Lewis enjoys walking his dog by the shoreline, IBM’s Vamseedhar is also convinced: outdoor spaces refresh us! He finds them key to his work-life balance. “Nature gives you piece of mind. It gives you good sleep at night. Computers don’t do that. (laughs). It’s why people should have a mix of being indoors with tech and outdoors with nature.”

We couldn’t agree more with Vamseedhar! Bay Day, after all, is about celebrating San Francisco Bay – its people, wildlife, and remarkable natural beauty. That’s why food trucks, live music, and kayak trips are just part of the fun in store for Bay Heroes on October 6th! We’re so grateful to IBM for making all of this possible. How can your company show its true Bay Hero colors and sponsor BAY DAY like IBM? Learn more at BayDay.org Want to be a BAY HERO and support Bay Day today?