Looking for a way to help clean up the environment or just want to get outside and exercise? A great way to do both of these is to go for a walk around your neighborhood or wherever you choose, and pick up any trash you see along the way. 

Litter ends up getting washed away into storm drains, which lead directly to waterways. This potentially kills or disables the aquatic organisms that live in these bodies of water. It also decreases the oxygen levels in the water which kills more organisms. Every year, more than 22 million pounds of litter end up in just the Great Lakes alone. You can only imagine how much litter ends up in all of the other rivers, lakes, and oceans in the world. 

Even if you just pick up one piece of litter a day, it can make a huge difference. So, if you need a reason to get out of the house or just haven’t had the motivation to, plan a route to walk. It can be however long you want it to be, and walk it as frequently as you would like. There is a lady, Larie, that mostly every morning is out picking up trash along Golf Course Road by Woodscreek Park. If you live in that area, you may have seen her before; she always has a big smile on her face and waves at cars as they pass. This does unfortunately mean that there is constantly trash waiting to be picked up. Do your part. Help clean up the environment you live in, it’s the only earth we have.

Resources:

http://www.carmel.in.gov/home/showdocument?id=182

https://greatlakes.org/great-lakes-plastic-pollution-fighting-for-plastic-free-water/