Our Work
Get the Trash Out of the River!
Our first goal is to get as much trash as possible out of the
Russian River. Not only is trash unsightly, it creates health
and environmental hazards for both people and wildlife. Every
bit of trash, every bottle or piece of plastic removed from the
river and sent out for recycling or proper disposal makes a
difference.
Raise Awareness of the Problem
Our second goal is to make people aware of the problem.
It has become too easy to ignore a bottle or a can or shredded
plastic bag because…, well…, gosh, litter is just a fact of
life. There have always been litterbugs. No big deal, right?
After a day of picking broken glass off a beach, pulling soiled
diapers out of the bushes, digging tires out of the riverbed,
and watching the piles of collected refuse grow and grow,
something becomes obvious. It is a big deal! This is a serious
problem. Litter is not the way things are supposed to be!
Develop a Sense of Stewardship within the Community
Our long term goal is to develop a sense of stewardship of
the river. This is our common backyard. It is our
responsibility, individually and collectively, to maintain it.
Just as we would never dump trash in our backyard, or tolerate
others doing so, we should never tolerate the abuse of our river
and its watershed. We hope, someday, the Russian River Watershed
Cleanup Committee will become unnecessary.
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