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NEWS RELEASE
GREEN ORILLIA
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It’s that time of year again! With spring weather comes spring cleaning. The skies are blue, the snow has melted, and the litter is more obvious than ever. On Earth Day, April 22, join Green Orillia for a socially distanced garbage cleanup.
Help us show some love to our city and our environment. With the stay-at-home order, Green Orillia is asking community members to participate by cleaning up their neighbourhoods. Instead of meeting in groups, we ask that you stick to your bubble for this garbage pick-up.
To help make the process easier on participants, Madeleine Fournier, event organizer and leader of Green Orillia, has offered to collect the bags of litter collected during the Earth Day clean-up and bring them to the dump free of charge. Trash pick-ups can be arranged by messaging Green Orillia on Facebook or Instagram.
“Spring inspires us all to get outside — to see and feel nature,” said Allie Fry, co-owner of Refillery District, Orillia’s waste-free grocery store. “I’m a strong believer that the level of responsibility we feel towards our planet depends on how connected we feel to the planet. Whether you feel a sense of connection to nature, people, or both, local garbage cleanups and community initiatives can increase our sense of responsibility towards the planet and each other.”
Left on its own, most garbage left outside will not naturally break down and will cause issues for native species. Cleaning up litter is a rewarding task. Not only does it beautify our town, but it is also important for our environment and ecosystems. Our present-day actions greatly affect the future of our environment.
“Spring is also the perfect time to evaluate our responsibility as a community,” Fry said. “Picking up litter, reducing plastic output, educating our youth, and supporting local farmers and small businesses are some of the ways that we can continuously contribute to a more sustainable future.”
Helpful items for picking up litter:
- Gloves, reusable and washable is preferred
- Weather appropriate attire
- Close-toed walking shoes
- Tongs or a garbage picker for picking up litter
- Scissors to cut any disposable mask springs or plastic can rings
- A face mask or face covering
The last garbage pick-up event in November was a success, with 24 attendees and 17 large garbage bags filled. Green Orillia is hopeful that community members will surpass these numbers for the Earth Day cleanup.
We encourage as many people as possible to participate in cleaning up their neighbourhoods and our public areas. Please tell a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbour about how they can help protect and preserve our environment.
Green Orillia is a community-driven organization that aims to provide news, tips, resources, and initiatives for sustainable & conscious living in Orillia. You can learn more by following Green Orillia on Facebook and Instagram.
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