operation clean city

The weather this month has been remarkably decent, warm even. Doug and I have been using the opportunity to walk the dog more often, and for longer distances. Two weekends ago, Doug decided to pick up a few bottles and cans he spotted while we were walking in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood, and before we knew it, we had a plastic bag full of plastic and glass bottles, and aluminum cans. We took this as a sign that we could pick up trash and recyclables on all of our walks if we carried a few bags with us. While we couldn’t pick up everything in our path, it was a good start at least.

This past Saturday, Doug took along an empty trash bag (for garbage) and a reusable REI shopping bag (for recyclables). Within a half hour of our walk down Fairview Ave. northbound to University Ave., the trash bag was half full, and the REI bag was completely full. There’s a long stretch of hillside along Fairview that’s strewn with trash, which is discouraging, yet we felt like we helped a little by picking up what we could carry. We plan to find another Saturday to pick up more, when we don’t have the dog with us.

Yesterday, I needed a few vegetables for a dinner recipe, so we decided to walk to Mississippi Market and take the dog for a walk at the same time. With the REI bag and another paper grocery bag in hand, we picked up cans and plastic bottles along the 2-mile stretch of Selby Ave. between Snelling and Dale that we walked to the co-op. We wanted to pick up more trash, but I thought it was probably best that I didn’t handle the veggies at the co-op with dirty hands. We had to dump the plastic bottles when we got there so we could use the paper bag to pick up more cans and bottles on the walk back home; we’d filled both bags to the top on the way there.

Bottles and cans, just clap your hands: Our two bags filled to the brim at Mississippi Market.

I have Doug to thank for initiating this effort. Plus, he carries the bags — I look out for trash and recyclables to pick up and simply deposit them in the bags. But it really is eye-opening and makes me take notice of my surroundings; I have a greater awareness of my community and the importance of doing my part to help keep it clean for everyone.