The Allegheny River and Watershed Cleanup is celebrating their sweet 16 this year. For over a decade and a half, family, friends and the community have gathered to clean various locations along the Allegheny River near Warren, PA.

Since 2005, nearly 5,500 volunteers have donated more than 48,000 hours removing trash from the watershed.

They have pulled out television sets, microwave ovens, lawn chairs, refrigerators, 55-gallon drums, more than 17,500 tires and recycled almost 160,000 pounds of metal!

Countless bags have been filled with recyclable metal, glass, plastic and aluminum.

Set to take place from September 12th to 14th, this year’s cleanup celebrates a significant milestone as the Allegheny River has been named Pennsylvania’s 2024 River of the Year.

As in years past, this year’s event is part of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania initiative, which encourages community cleanups across the state.

Pick Up Pennsylvania provides free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests to volunteers for events held from September 1 through November 30.

This collaboration underscores the importance of statewide efforts to keep Pennsylvania’s natural resources clean and beautiful.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Pick Up Pennsylvania is an enjoyable way for groups and individuals to participate in clean ups that are happening across the nation and world as part of Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

The International Coastal Cleanup engages people around the globe to remove trash from the world’s beaches and waterways. Land cleanups are also necessary to prevent trash from reaching the water in the first place.

Taking care of the places we care about provides many benefits in addition to improved aesthetics.

Cleanups remove hazards to people, places and animals; foster a sense of community pride; and taking action often inspires others to do the same.

Susan Stout has participated in the Allegheny River and Watershed Cleanup for nine years. Her reasons for coming back year after year are simple: “A beautiful day on the water, searching for surprises as we gather trash, seeing the shoreline cleaner every year, a bald eagle, a great blue heron, the other regular volunteers. It’s a privilege to participate.”

“When you take the initiative to make your community and environment clean and beautiful for yourself, you also make it clean and beautiful for others. Little by little Pennsylvanians can make a difference in the health of our waterways and oceans by participating in Pick Up Pennsylvania, supporting the International Coastal Cleanup this fall,” said Michelle Dunn, Program Coordinator for Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Register Your Cleanup Event

To host an event, join an event near you or to inquire about free supplies, visit KPB’s Pick Up PA webpage or contact Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 877-772-3673 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.    

Trash bags, gloves and safety vests are provided by the Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and the Ocean Conservancy, as supplies last. Events must be registered to receive free supplies.

2024 Summit For Community Stewardship

Join KPB, its local affiliates, state agencies and volunteers from across the state for the 2024 Summit for Community Stewardship to be held October 16-17 in Scranton concerned about litter, illegal dumping and community beautification.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photos: Volunteers clean up a section of the Allegheny River.)

Resource Link:

-- Week 10: Illegal Dumping Of Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues Unabated On Paved, Dirt Roads, Before It Rains, It Doesn’t Matter In Warren County  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- PennDOT, Keep PA Beautiful Announce 40 Students Selected As 2024-25 Young Ambassadors For A Clean And Beautiful Pennsylvania  [PaEN] 

-- Keep PA Beautiful Supports 16th Allegheny River & Watershed Cleanup Sept. 12 to 14 In Warren County  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- WHYY Climate Fixers: Curbside Recycling Is Broken, In Kensington, Rabbit Recycling Will Take Anything

-- TribLive: Trash To Treasure: Fox Chapel Area Artists Compete In Global Junk Kouture Competition

-- Post-Gazette: Grandpa Isn’t Driving The Garbage Truck, But He’s A Recycling Wizard

[Posted: September 4, 2024]

9/9/2024