On April 19, ETSU students and faculty met at Brush Creek to pull litter and debris from the creek and surrounding area in honor of Earth Month.
Prepared on site with gloves, trash bags, safety vests and waders, fifteen members from the ETSU community gathered behind the Regions Bank across from campus to clean up Brush Creek on Tuesday in honor of Earth Month.
The excursion was led by Erica Malpass, the Sustainability Coordinator for ETSU, and Dr. Ingrid Luffman of the Geosciences department. Luffman is also Vice President of the Boone Watershed Partnership, who provided supplies to the group.
“We knew it was Earth Month, so it just made a lot of sense to open this up to the ETSU community,” said Luffman.
The trash found during this event included tires, clothing, plastic bags, cans, bottles, a foam mattress pad, food wrappers, busted tennis balls and more. At least 280lbs of litter was gathered by the volunteers and taken away to be disposed of properly; and that was just from an hour and a half of searching.
“Often we see something, and we say ‘Oh look at all that litter! Somebody should do something!’” said Luffman. “And that somebody is us…all of us.”
One of the most important things to remember is that you don’t need to wait for an organized event like this in order to start picking up trash and making a difference. The next time you take your dog for a walk, maybe consider taking a trash bag with you to collect any garbage you see.
If you want to clean up creeks and waterways it is important to be cautious of the water you are working in. Many local creeks are compromised and can contain harmful bacteria.
Additionally, make sure to be careful when handling glass, needles, and any other sharp or dangerous objects. Make sure to take plenty of hand sanitizer, gloves, and appropriate footwear if you decide to go on a water clean-up excursion. Water quality impairment maps are available online courtesy of the Tennessee Department of Environment Conservation (TDEC).
As Earth Month begins to wind down, there are still a few opportunities for those who are looking to get involved with an organized event. Earth Day is on Friday April 22 and ETSU’s Office of Sustainability will be hosting Earth Fest from 12pm to 4pm. This event will include vendors offering demonstrations, giveaways, and opportunities to learn about how to live more sustainably.
More information on campus sustainability efforts can be found at https://www.etsu.edu/sustainability/. More information on the Boone Watershed Partnership and any of their upcoming events and initiatives can be found at https://boonewatershed.org/.
