With the arrival of spring, receding snow banks have left behind a plethora of litter discarded throughout the winter months. Huntsville’s Green Team met on April 24 to do their part to clean it up.
Starting at Sustain Eco Store, the team of adults and children picked up garbage around and in Brendale Square.
They found the usual suspects—paper coffee cups and plastic lids, plastic straws, cigarette butts and plastic bags—but also a few surprising things like a broken ceramic bowl and spoon, and a paint tray with roller. There were choruses of “eewwww” as items were picked up and deposited in bags, boxes and buckets for later sorting into recycling and garbage. One of the team’s young members, Charlie, called it “yucky”.
Sadie said she was there to “fix the environment and make it healthy,” while her friend Liliana said people should recycle these things instead of just throwing them on the ground.
Sustain Eco Store has partnered with the Green Team for the monthly clean up effort.
“A really big part of our focus right now is trying to reduce single-use plastic,” says Sustain co-owner Celine MacKay. “That’s been a focus of the products that we sell and the education that we are doing and the workshops we are doing. We recently went to the recycling facility in Bracebridge just wanting to get the whole scoop on how to properly recycle. And as part of trying to educate we are also trying to clean up and improve the environment and this seems like the best thing we can do.”
MacKay also hopes their efforts will encourage other environmentally friendly initiatives locally, like restaurants stopping the use of plastic straws. The store shares recycling tips on their Facebook page.
Anyone who’d like to help with the monthly clean up is welcome to join the Green Team and Sustain on the last Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at Sustain Eco Store (2-114 Main Street East). The clean up lasts about an hour and they’ll focus on a different area within walking distance of the store each time.
Celine MacKay of Sustain Eco Store with Finn (in backpack) and Charlie (right) help to clean up the Brendale Square parking lot
Judith Blachette (left) started the Green Team in 2005 to promote and educate about waste diversion
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.
“There’s no excuse for single use”
What we really need in Huntsville are some signs to remind others to “do the right thing and put their trash in the bin”.
Perhaps a $250 fine for litter bugs might be a deterrent.
Name and shame those caught illegal dumping!
The GREEN TEAM ROCKS!!!