GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Grab a pair of gloves and a trash bag: Earth Day is one week away.
“I always say there’s three types of people in this world," said Charles frisk, President of the Baird Creek Preservation Foundation. "There are those people who litter, there are those people who never litter, and then there are those people who pick up other peoples litter.”
Baird Creek is having its 23rd Earth Day clean up next Saturday, April 24th. Volunteers will pick up litter, remove invasive species and plant native species all throughout the greenway.
“Earth Day should be very special to everyone in the world," said Frisk. "But particularly people from Wisconsin because Gaylord Nelson, former Wisconsin governor and U.S. senator, was the founder of Earth Day.“
On the other side of town, Downtown Green Bay and the Olde Main District will be having its Spring Trash Bash all next week.
“Downtown‘s first impression especially right now is so important," said Emily Cubitt — Marketing Manager for Downtown Green Bay and Olde Main Street. "As more and more people are going to be outside this summer than ever.“
Anyone can grab a trash bag and some friends to tackle garbage in one of the districts. There will even be prizes, like gift cards for downtown businesses.
“It makes our businesses look poorly, it reflects poorly on the people who want to live here, who want to work here, who want to open a business here, shop here," said Cubitt about litter. "And that’s so important, especially as people return to work downtown and making sure that downtown Green Bay truly is the heart and soul of Green Bay.“
Earth day is not just about picking up trash, said Frisk.
“Earth Day should be a time where people think about, 'What do we need to do to preserve a decent world for our children and our grandchildren and future generations here in this world?'"
If you want to help out at the baird creek clean up, there's no sign-up required; you can just show up at Triangle Hill at 8:30 a.m on Saturday the 24th. Downtown’s Spring Trash Bash is going on from the 18th to the 24th, and no sign-up is required there either; you can just pick a district and get to work on your own or with a group. More details about prizes will be posted in the Facebook event.
