from: http://www.desotoexplorer.com/posts/home/2011/sep/13/team-travels-across-country-picking-up-r/
Posted by Laura Herring September 13, 2011 at 8:45 a.m.
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| For FULL EVENT DETAILS, scroll down... |
Team travels across country picking up, recycling trash
...So far, they’ve collected more than 125,000 pounds of trash. But, the group’s mission isn’t just about picking up the country’s litter. Chen said they want to spread a message of zero waste.
As they move across the country, the team has discovered that much of what they collect can’t be recycle because the nearby communities don’t have the facilities to accept the different kinds of plastics.
“I would say that 20 percent of the things that are picked up are actually recyclable. When you get to a bigger city, you are able to recycle a lot more. You try to do what you can. But the system isn’t working in our favor,” Chen said.
Chen and his group are still looking for volunteers for the Midwest Litter Fest, a Sept. 24 event which will have teams helping pick up trash on a 45-mile route from Johnson County to Lawrence. It’s one event that Chen hopes will inspire others to keep their roadways clean and reduce their consumption.
“We want to get people out there to see trash with us, to see what is on the side of the road. Once they see it, maybe they will get hooked and maybe make a commitment to reducing the plastic in their life,” Chen said.
Details of events:
Pick Up America along with the Blue River Watershed Association and Cans for the Community is hosting the Midwest Litter Fest on Sept. 24. The event will tackle a 45-mile stretch of road from Roeland Park to Lawrence.
The organizers are looking for 20 to 25 teams of between four and 10 people to help collect litter along a two-mile section of the proposed route. Volunteers will meet a 8 a.m. at Shelter No. 12 in Shawnee Mission Park for breakfast and a safety briefing. Teams will help pick-up litter from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and return back to the shelter for a victory photo.
All participants can receive a T-shirt. To register or find out more information go to http://brwa.net
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www.desotoexplorer.com/posts/home/2011/sep/13/team-travels-across-country-picking-up-r/
Posted by Laura Herring September 13, 2011 at 8:45 a.m.
SEE ALSO:
https://www.facebook.com/pickupamerica
and
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177349588997272
MIDWEST LITTER FEST 2011
| Time |
Saturday, September 24 · 8:00am - 1:00pm
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| Location |
7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, KS
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| Created By | |
| More Info |
Grab a team of friends and save the date!
Midwest Litter Fest: A 45 Mile Trash-Grabbing Event from Johnson County to Lawrence. On September 24 we will come together:
-To celebrate the arrival of Pick Up America - the nation's first coast-to-coast roadside litter cleanup - in Kansas City and start off their 450 mile clean-up across Kansas. They will clean their 1,500 mile of road here along their way to encourage a transition toward zero waste. http://pickupamerica.org/ -To make waves with 350.org's Moving Planet day of action - a worldwide rally to demand solutions to the climate crisis. With this clean-up we aim to walk our talk and show that community stewardship and zero-waste as essential components of solving climate change. http://www.moving-planet.o -To raise money for non-profits walking the walk everyday to pick-up litter, encourage zero-waste and make Kansas a better place to live. The benefactors are: Pick Up America - http://pickupamerica.org/ Blue River Watershed Association - http://www.brwa.net/ Cans for the Community - http://www.cansforthecommu Who Should Participate: This is a family-friendly event. Children over 11 are welcome, although one parent or guardian needs to be present for every three volunteers aged 11-15. We are looking for teams of 4-10 to sign up to clean 2-3 mile sections of our 45 miles route. Teams may consist of a few friends, a soccer team, a sorority, a family, a non-profit group, etc How to Participate: Sign-Up Here: http://www.brwa.net/images and send a form with the full team to Leslie or Lily: lalford@brwa.net, lily@pickupamerica.org Fundraising form: http://www.brwa.net/images The Proposed 45 mile Route http://www.brwa.net/images An Advertising flier: http://www.brwa.net/images Schedule: 8-9 a.m.: Kickoff event and registration at Shelter #12 in Shawnee Mission Park 9-11 a.m.: Teams pick up litter across the route 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. - Lunch and victory photo at Shelter #12 in Shawnee Mission Park. There will be musical performances by Davey Rogne, Alexander Kapin, and Jeff Chen of Pick Up America along with other musical acts TBA. It is free to participate, but teams are encouraged to use the walk as an opportunity to fund raise for these great environmental non-profits. We will be giving out free t-shirts and lunch to teams that fundraise and participate. Any individual who raises more than $25 will also recieve a free Stainless steel Pick Up America water bottle. |
