My participation in Clean Planet Days has mostly been a solo effort or a joint venture with my wife, Amy. We've found joy in turning these events into dates, heading out to clean up some trash in our area, and always coming back feeling fulfilled.
I live in Vancouver, a city that hosts monthly neighborhood cleanup parties. I recently attended one such event on a Saturday morning, and about 50 people turned up. We convened in Chinatown and were assigned a few blocks on which to focus our efforts. While waiting for the other groups to assemble, I had a pleasant conversation with some new friends from a local college. Two staff members and an art student shared that their school encourages students to participate in volunteer events. One of the staff mentioned that students often feel overwhelmed with their study schedules and find it hard to allocate time for community events. Despite this, they persevere and continue to encourage participation. I admired their commitment to fostering leadership amidst disagreement.
As we began our clean-up mission, locals made an effort to express their appreciation for our work. A hairstylist waved their scissors and sent a thank you kiss through the salon window. I even got a wave from a resident in an apartment building a few floors up, who spotted me while I was waving my trash picker. A passerby inquired about our organization, and he seemed genuinely thrilled when I mentioned that I was part of an international Clean Planet leadership group and that we had chosen his neighborhood for our cleanup operation.
I don't participate in these events for praise or gratitude but for the spirit and energy that radiates when we come together for a common cause. For me, that's what Clean Planet is about raising awareness that our care for the earth is a shared responsibility and that when we unite, we can achieve wonders. To anyone reading this, I encourage you to consider how you can contribute to your local area or neighborhood. Your contribution can take any form--you could join a large group or go solo.
Please consider being part of the Clean Planet movement.
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