Community cleans up Chico creek debris
By Maegan Martens Students and community members took time out from their weekend to fill black garbage bags with aluminum cans, cigarette butts and other trash Saturday in an effort to clean up Chico's creeks and surrounding parks. Students, sports teams and fraternities joined Chico residents to help clean up Lindo Channel, Big Chico Creek, Little Chico Creek and Comanche Creek. "Even though it is really dirty and there is a lot of trash, we are doing it for a good cause," said rugby player Brian McCarthy. The Bidwell Park and Creeks of Chico Cleanup has taken place on the third Wednesday of every September for the past 20 years, said Barbara Vlamis, executive director of the Butte Environmental Council. The cleanup day coincided with the statewide California Coastal Cleanup Day. Members of the Chico State rugby team helped clean up Lindo Channel's bed by picking up trash, including Q-tips and shopping carts. About 120 to 150 students and community volunteers come out to help every year, Vlamis said. The cleanup costs about $2,000 to $3,000 and is partially paid for with the help of sponsors, including the City of Chico, Waste Management and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, she said. Vlamis encourages any campus groups or organizations to help out, she said. Students at this year's cleanup said that they like volunteering their time to pick up trash throughout the community and make it a more beautiful place. Joseph Leoncavallo, Phi Kappa Tau president, said the cleanup is a good opportunity for the Greeks to give back to the community. Junior Stacey Gotler said students helped out on Saturday because they think other students are at fault for the litter and want to help clean up their trash. "If we got more students to help out, it would be better considering they make most of the mess," she said. Other volunteers said students aren't the only ones responsible for the litter. "Trash comes from everybody," said Chico resident Delinda Fisk while putting old curling rollers in a trash bin. "From a lady throwing her cigarette out her SUV window to everybody - trash is from everyone." The cleanup day needs to be more widely advertised especially on campus, said junior Janel Irwin. She said she was happy to go to the cleanup to do her part to keep Chico beautiful. "We can't just live in the community," said junior Chris Schaeffer. "We have to help keep the community clean as well." Maegan Martens can be reached at mmartens@theorion.com Reprinted from The Orion, Sept. 19, 2007 |
