Link Up to Fight Litter
Pick Up Pennsylvania's 2021 spring session features pickup events throughout Erie County
Earth Day falls on Wednesday, April 21 this year — but the responsibility of taking care of the Earth falls on us everyday, both as individuals and as a collective.
As individuals, simple tweaks to our habits and routines can add up to big impacts over time — things like repurposing cardboard boxes, using reusable shopping bags at the grocery store, unplugging appliances and turning off lights in rooms that aren't in use, composting, and starting a garden. And of course, reducing dependency on plastics and other disposables — opting for reusable containers and kitchenwares instead.
To reverse the damage to the environment that has already been done, however, requires a concerted group effort. The Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative calls upon volunteers twice a year to tackle the state's extensive litter problem, with both spring and fall sessions annually. The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website has a litter collection database users can filter by county, or even add to with events of their own. Event coordinators who register through Pick Up Pennsylvania are provided with safety and collection equipment to give to their volunteers while supplies last.
Here's the current list of upcoming litter remediation events in Erie County:
Wednesday, Apr. 21
Clean Up Fry's Landing and Horseshoe Pond on PI
Hosted by the Presque Isle Audubon Society
9 a.m., Fry's Landing at Presque Isle State Park
Contact: Sue Murawski (814-812-6072, suemurawski94@gmail.com)
Saturday, Apr. 24
Earth Day Clean Up of Mt Pleasant and Arneman Road
Hosted by the Mt. Pleasant/Arneman Road Clean Up Crew
8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Mt. Pleasant and Arneman Road (Cambridge Twp.)
Contact: April Dennis (814-734-4380, dennismaplehill@aol.com)
Albion Clean-Up Day
Hosted by the Albion Community Cleaning Crew
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch provided), Albion Boro Park
Contact: Barbara Hershelman (814-756-3660, hershelman720@gmail.com)
Saturday, May 1
Edinboro Clean-Up Day
Hosted by the Borough of Edinboro and Washington Township
Noon to 4 p.m., supply pick-up and trash drop sites to be listed on edinboro.net
Contact: Sarah Schoolcraft (814-734-1812, sschoolcraft@edinboro.net)