Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Fall Cleanup Program In Full Swing
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Fall Cleanup Program In Full Swing
(The Courier Express) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania program is in full swing through Nov. 30. The fall cleanup program is held in support of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.
Individuals or groups who register with the program can receive free bags and gloves, provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and the Ocean Conservancy, as supplies last. Events must be registered to receive the free supplies.
Both waterway and land-based cleanups are eligible for the program since a significant portion of waterway pollution originates on land. Wind and rain wash litter into storm drains or directly into creeks and rivers that eventually flow to the ocean where it impacts marine life, human health and coastal economies.
The French Creek Valley Conservancy participates in Pick Up Pennsylvania in tandem with their annual cleanup. Each year, hundreds of volunteers participate in what has become the largest day of stewardship in the watershed. This year, 38,875 pounds of trash was collected and 250 trees were planted.
“There’s still time to plan a cleanup or other community improvement through our Pick Up Pennsylvania program. We are honored to support the efforts of groups, like the French Creek Valley Conservancy. You can help by cleaning up in and around your neighborhood. Grab a bag and collect litter from the side of the road, your local park, fields and sidewalks before it finds its way into a storm drain or waterway. Large or small, every action makes a difference,” said Shannon Reiter, president of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “It is the commitment of the volunteers that helps keep our communities clean and beautiful.”
Anyone wishing to participate in Pick Up Pennsylvania can visit www.keeppabeautiful.org/programs/pick-up-pa/ through Nov. 30 to register a cleanup. For technical assistance, contact Michelle Dunn at mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org or 877-772-3673.
