Description
Earlier this year, I started morning walks for exercise. Picking up trash on the streets gave my walks a purpose and I felt I was helping the community as well. Every day I would and still do walk relatively the same 4 miles and I pick up at least 2-3 bags of trash. I realized that this is a huge ongoing problem.
Then driving down the highways, I had also noticed how the litter alongside the road has increased. I decided to do something about it and reached out to CalTrans Adopt A Highway program to see if there was a chance I could adopt a section.
The Adopt A Highway program requires a permitting process and then safety training. They also provide the equipment; all I have to do is provide the volunteers who are as passionate as I am about seeing the community litter-free!
Our first clean up as a group was Chatsworth Avenue. We had 9 volunteers and picked up 18+ bags of litter as well as glass, boxes and larger pieces. We picked up 24+ bags of litter on our first highway clean up on the Tampa on ramp area.
I have always had it in my plans to start an organization that would "change the attitude" of the people about littering - creating a culture that knows littering is bad for the environment, the beauty of the community and remind them that it is also against the law.
