Vicki Smith, a Bay resident, tagged the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association in one of her own Instagram posts last month. The post featured a photo of trash Vicki had picked up from the ditch in front of her home, and the caption included an impassioned plea for others to join her by cleaning up near their own properties: “I don’t want likes,” she wrote. “I want action!”
So with the usual community spring clean-ups on hold during the current state of emergency, Stewardship is encouraging neighbours in St. Margaret’s Bay to join them in cleaning up roads and ditches near our own properties, and putting the garbage and recycling out with regular household waste. Such garbage is not only unsightly, says the Stewardship Association, it can be hazardous to wildlife and impede water flow in ditches.
When: Any time from Sunday, May 10 to Sunday, May 24
To avoid having too many people congregating by holding the clean-up on one day or even one weekend, Stewardship has designated a 2-week period, from Sunday, May 10 to Sunday, May 24.
Take before and after pictures of the location and pictures of the total you pick up (count the bags!), and send the photos to smbsaig@gmail.com. Stewardship will share many of these on social media, so let them know if they can use your first and last names, first name only, or just general location. Submitted photos will be entered in a draw to win a prize (details to be announced).
How: Following Public Health and safety standards
- Pick up only with members of your own household.
- Maintain the 2-metre distance if neighbours are also picking up garbage.
- Wear washable gardening or work gloves and wash them right after pick-up.
- Wear bright and/or reflective clothing if picking up on a roadside.
- A grasping tool can be helpful and safer when retrieving garbage from ditches.
- Put garbage in regular clear garbage bags and recycling (cans, bottles), unrinsed, in blue recycling bags.
- Put out the garbage and recycling you pick up with your household waste and recycling on your usual garbage and recycling days, respecting the 6-bag garbage limit. There is no limit for the number of recycling bags, but if you’ve been very ambitious in your picking up, please consider putting out extra bags over two or more pick-ups.
Questions? Email smbsaig@gmail.com or visit Stewardship’s Facebook page.
