Litterbugs beware, Friday was community clean-up day!
In recognition of Earth Week, George Brown College (GBC) volunteers at Casa Loma, St. James and Waterfront campus picked up garbage and recycling in an effort to clean-up Toronto.
“We are collaborating with athletics and student services to co-ordinate clean-up together day,” said Stephanie Foster, GBC’s sustainability co-ordinator. “We did this a few years back as part of David Miller’s Clean City Beautiful City campaign.”
Clean Toronto Together, formerly known as Clean City Beautiful City, an initiative established by David Miller, was and is an opportunity for friends, co-workers, classmates and family to get together, and to help clean-up our city’s streets.
One of Toronto’s first events under Clean City Beautiful City was the 20-minute makeover where more than 40,000 residents were engaged, as stated by 311 Toronto.
Planning to add more “green to the clean” this year, according to Toronto’s official website, due to recent weather-related issues communities can learn how to help with current ice storm recovery efforts.
Today, volunteers gathered at each campus to help with the clean-up.
Provided with water and cookies volunteers took their gloves and garbage bags to the streets surrounding the campus, collecting litter and recycling and throwing them in the proper bins.
“People are collecting garbage as well as recycling hopefully,” said Foster. “People tend to be lazy and not put garbage and recycling in the right bins.”
The event is advertised through the weekly update for the college’s employees, the GBC newsletter which students receive, Facebook and Twitter says Foster.
“It’s enjoyable,” said Helen Zhung, a community clean-up volunteer at Casa Loma campus.
For people who confirmed their attendance people through an email to Foster, Courtney Warren or Norm Javier (St. James and Waterfront campus) were eligible for a Huskies prize pack – a pair of GBC Huskies gloves donated by the athletics department.
“It’s a great way to help the environment,” said Anmar Lopez, another community clean-up volunteer at Casa Loma campus.
As our city becomes more environmentally conscious, students at each of the campuses should be aware that there are recycling and garbage bins all over the campuses, and to throw their litter in the proper bins!
