The city of Mobile is teaming up with Alabama People Against a Littered State (ALPALS) to support the “Don’t Drop it on Alabama” Spring Cleanup this April and May.
The first organized community cleanup will be hosted by Dog River Clearwater Revival and will focus on the areas around Baumhauer-Randle Park on 1909 Duval Street in Mobile. The cleanup and collection of litter will take place on April 17, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Cleanup supplies such as litter grabbers, bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided by the City of Mobile.
Dog River Clearwater Revival is a 26-year-old nonprofit organization based in Mobile. Their watershed covers 95 square miles with Mobile, making it the largest in the city and one of the largest in the state.
Debi Foster is their executive director. She said citizens volunteering at these types of events helps stop future litter from becoming an issue.
“Littered areas create more litter. People are more prone to litter where they see litter currently existing. So if we can clean an area, then people are less likely to come back in that exact same spot and litter,” she said.
Foster also stressed the importance of individuals addressing their own contribution to litter. While Foster acknowledges tropical storms in the Gulf Shore area do not make litter more of an issue, she said wind is a natural occurrence which causes litter to become more widespread. She said it’s important for people to make sure they dispose of waste in the secured and appropriate container.
“Whether it’s a ripped up piece of paper, a foam soda cup from the nearest fast food place, to your homework paper. It could be anything, but it’s going to blow. We just have to start being more conscious of what we do with our own stuff,” she said.
Foster recommends those interested in more information on cleanups in the Mobile area visit www.dogriver.org and like their Facebook page. She also suggests checking out keepmobilebeautiful.org and stormwatermobile.org.
