What do 21,981 pounds of litter and 21,900 square feet of invasive plant species have in common? They are no longer around to harm the environment.
Their removal is the result of more than 4,000 volunteers across 126 Oregon Spring Cleanup events, who spent between April 13-22 picking, collecting, and digging them out as part of Earth Day celebrations.
Families, community members, neighborhood associations, youth groups, and environmental enthusiasts made the Oregon Spring Cleanup a highlight on SOLVE’s annual calendar.
The Oregon Spring Cleanup merged two of the organization’s most cherished events — the Spring Oregon Beach Cleanup, dating back to 1986, and SOLVE IT for Earth Day, which began in 1990.
Here’s a look at a couple event highlights:
SE Portland Eco-Disco: Litter Cleanup & Silent Disco, April 20:
In collaboration with Heartbeat Silent Disco, this unique Earth Day celebration drew 114 volunteers to Portland’s central east side.
Following the cleanup in the Buckman neighborhood, where 800 pounds of litter got collected, the festivities continued with a free silent dance party, adding an extra layer of celebration to the cleanup efforts.