Several staff members of First Green Bank participated in the Wekiva River Clean-up on October 2nd. Sponsored by the southeast regional office of the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Keep Seminole Beautiful and Wekiva Island, this great event helped to pull numerous potato sacks-full of trash from the beautiful Wekiva River. Although the popular river appears considerably clean on its surface – especially considering how many people enjoy the river and nearby recreation areas year-round – an unfortunate amount of trash finds it way to the muddy riverbed just a few feet under the water. The Official from Keep Seminole Beautiful informed us that most of the trash gets into the river not from the people enjoying the river by way of canoe, etc., but instead by roadside trash and litter which gets washed into gutters and makes its way to the river – another important reason for people not to litter anywhere!
Armed with nothing more than bare hands and a small fishing net on the end of a wooden dowel, several teams of volunteers in canoes scooped numerous glass bottles, aluminum cans, cups, and other assorted trash – most of which can be recycled – out of the river in just a few short hours. Keep Seminole Beautiful helps to organize such river clean-up events, as well as roadside clean-ups and other community enhancement activities, on a monthly basis. If you are in the area and would like to get involved, you can find more information and a calendar of events at: www.keepseminolebeautiful.org
