We wanted to do something special for Earth Day as part of our Zero Waste series, so when we heard of the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre Earth Day litter challenge, we felt it was a perfect opportunity. A chance to connect with community members and give a little love to a one of our favourite spots – Rissers Beach Provincial park.
We called LRCRC to register our team and they offered us clear garbage bags and gloves (because some garbage is yucky), which we picked up a few days before. They also kindly donated some earth-friendly prizes for participants (and one lucky reader).
It was honestly a pleasure to spend our Saturday morning taking care of such a beautiful natural area that also happens to be a special place for my family.
We often visit Rissers park with our children – its sandy shores have witnessed everything from first steps, to first swims, to first ice cream cones. I have enjoyed some serious self-care here, too – bodysurfing the waves in summer, long walks on the boardwalk and beach with dear friends, and snowshoeing along the trails in winter. We plan to stay at the campground this summer so that our kids can experience their first camping trip close to home.
The litter challenge was a perfect opportunity to invite children in the community to get involved and learn about environmental stewardship.
The children had a GREAT time hunting for litter. Seriously, their enthusiasm was up there with that of an Easter Egg hunt! Wet ditches, rocks, giant fallen trees – nothing stood between them and a colourful piece of plastic or chocolate bar wrapper.
We talked about where the garbage came from and where it could end up and why it is important to clean it up and not litter in the first place.
I find that young children easily understand the importance of picking up garbage. They like to take action and make a meaningful contribution. I really believe that if we direct these natural impulses towards caring for their environment and inspiring others, it will make a difference in the next generation.
We need more eco-warriors like Stella Bowles! (To learn about Stella, check out this post).
We were surprised by how much garbage we collected just in one part of the campground and beach. Nearly 30 pounds in a half kilometre stretch! A chip bag here, a water bottle there, and an oil jug or two – we filled our bags in no time.
Imagine if we each made an effort to pick up litter year-round? Maybe this respect for our natural spaces would influence others to think twice about littering. It could certainly make a difference to the sea life and wildlife that are endangered by our plastic waste.
Someone in our group noted that in the off-season, the park maintenance crews remove the garbage and recycling bins, so anyone hiking through must take their garbage with them. Unfortunately, not every visitor is prepared to do so.
The most common pieces of trash we picked up were beverage containers – from pop bottles to coffee cups to beer cans. There were also lots of bottle tops, straws, and coffee pods – all single-use items.
If you want to make a difference in terms of waste reduction, avoiding these would make a great impact. I suggest some steps you can take to move away from a throw-away culture in this post.
Some of the more unusual things we found were a golf tee, broken plastic toys, a dehumidifier, and a single flip-flop. These are all items that take a little extra effort to dispose of properly.
If you are unsure about how to recycle something, you can ask on the LRCRC Facebook Page or call the Waste Hotline at 1-855-530-3324.
We refueled on the beach with some homemade zero-waste snacks – smoothie in mason jars with silicone straws and buttery popcorn in a cotton mesh bag – and the kids even dug their bare toes in the sand. (Is it summer yet?).
The kids had a blast, we all got some much-needed fresh air and sunshine, connected with community members, and felt good about how we spent our Saturday morning. We already have a plan to go back and clean another stretch soon. I have a feeling it will become a regular family activity.
What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?
Margaret Hoegg is a writer, editor, and sustainability advocate on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. She muses on food, locovorism, homesteading, and family over on her blog dulse and maple and instagram @dulseandmaple.
Our school is very fortunate to have a terrific Green Team that works hard to make Earth Day fun. They created a fun jeopardy game, wore green super hero costumes, and organized gloves and garbage bags so all classes could head out and clean out playground. WNES cares for our planet!
I proudly walked to the park with my 13 month old grandson and my little dog. We went on the swings, played in the sand, went down the slide. Then on the walk back home (he was in a stroller) he talked to the birds and I think they talked back. There were no “little presents” left on the ground from my dog, and I found a Frisbee on the side of the road that I picked up to use with my boy when he is a little older. Glorious day.