We challenge young people in Whatcom County to clean up all the litter you can find!
During Whatcom Water Week (a week-long event that celebrates our local water resources), September 12th–19th, we invite you to remove trash from Whatcom County! Take photos of all the bags of litter you picked up, and you or your class can win a prize if you submit a photo.
WHO: Anyone should participate especially if you’re 18 years old or under, but we are calling all 4th and 5th grade classrooms specifically to make a difference in their community.
WHEN: Do your cleanup any time the week of September 12th – 19th. Photo submissions for chance at prizes are due by 5:00 p.m. September 21st. Submit photos here!
WHERE: We encourage you to clean up your own neighborhoods and your favorite parks, trails, and beaches. But if nothing comes to mind, we’ve identified some trash hotspots on this map.
HOW: Follow these protocols to protect yourself and watch this example video!
And perhaps most importantly, WHY: Our community can keep waterways cleaner during COVID, a time when increased use of single-use items has led to worse plastic pollution and litter entering our waters. Animals get tangled up in it, they choke on it, and even get poisoned by it. Most of the garbage in our oceans and waterways originates from land, so picking up garbage in our neighborhoods and cities not only helps the animals and plants living on land, but organisms in the water too.
Safety protocol Map of trash hotspots to clean Enter to win prizes
Prizes, you say??
- Classrooms can win a stewardship kit (Supplies include: buckets, tongs, native plants, trowels and other items)
- Individuals (18 and under) can win your own personal trash cleanup kit and a gift certificate for local ice cream!
Need more information? Are you a teacher and need ways to incorporate this into your classroom?
Contact Chelsea: schools@re-sources.org or call (360) 733-8307