Spring is here, and this time of year is usually a time for organized clean-ups around Connecticut with groups of people working together to remove litter from beaches, parks, and trail heads. Needless to say, organized clean-ups are out of the question as we practice social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19. That doesn’t mean we can’t clean-up on our own!

 

Recently, I was noticing lots of trash along the roadway on a regular walk to the bank. Before the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, I saw a significant amount of rubbish on the curbside when walking from our Sierra Club Connecticut office to the State Capitol in Hartford. In short, there is a lot of litter to be cleaned up in places where I live and work.

 

On April 11, I turned my daily walk into a litter clean-up. It was a beautiful Saturday morning. I put a 13-gallon garbage bag and a pair of latex gloves in my coat pocket and set out on a four mile walk to the bank and back. Before I reached the bank, the bag was full. On that first clean-up I collected 3 gloves, several rags, a sock, two cardboard boxes, small-sized “nip” liquor bottles, to-go cups, napkins, straws, plastic bits of various sizes, gum and candy wrappers, and more.

 

I felt so good about what I had just done. I thought to myself that even though I can’t organize to protect the environment the way I usually do, I can do this. This can make a difference for my community. 

 

The time will come again when we can organize a group of people for a clean-up. Until then, this is something we can all do on our own. If you are inspired to clean-up where you live, I’d love to hear about your litter clean-up. Share a photo of your cleanup! Most importantly, please be sure to do it safely. Wear a mask and gloves, and watch out for traffic. 

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Samantha Dynowski is State Director, Sierra Club Connecticut.