Trash is something that everyone accumulates throughout their day, but even throwing a simple plastic bag out of your car can make an impact on the environment. Recently the Leos Club worked with some members of the Lions Club to help clean up a portion of Reed Road. 

Lions Club International is an organization that volunteers to help the overall well-being and connection of communities. It is also the parent-type program for Leo’s Club. 

At 9:15 am I was already at Starbucks getting my Grande White Chocolate Mocha, and by 9:45 am I was suited up in a neon green and orange vest. I was surprisingly excited to pick up trash, but it was freezing outside which made me not so happy. 

Within the first 15 minutes of walking, there seemed to be no trash to be picked up. Is there a lack of trash that people are throwing out of their car windows? I was sadly mistaken.

The farther down the road we got, the more trash was being accumulated. We found all sorts of things from glass bottles to McDonald’s Happy Meal toys. There was even a point where we found a yoga ball hidden in a creek. It was too big to fit in a trash bag, so we had to pop it with a stick, and let all the air out.

I think the most important thing that I learned from this highway clean-up was that there is so much more trash than we think. There is so much trash that builds up, but it gets pushed into ditches, trees, creeks, etc. because of wind or storms. 

When all the trash was not right in front of me, I thought that it was not that big of a deal. If all the trash was right on the edge of the road, I believe that people would take this problem of trash in our environment more seriously. Most of the trash that was found on the side of the road could have easily been thrown away in a trash can where it is less likely to clutter our streets.

Cleaning up the side of the road was such an amazing experience that I think everyone should do when they have the chance. It makes our community look less trashy, literally.