If our agency were an actual brown bag, it would be compostable and made of recycled, sustainable, organic material. We believe that being green is not just a trend in our office but rather a necessary way of life to keep our whole world beautiful. On April 6th, a bunch of bright eyed and Chick-fil-A fueled Baggers and friends turned out to clean up a portion of the Chattahoochee River in Atlanta Memorial Park. This was our fourth year participating in the annual day of service, and the event has only become more rewarding each time. We congregated with other teams and listened to speeches by Catherine Spillman, Executive Director of Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy and Jason Ulseth, the official Riverkeeper, before we set off to fill our bags with trash.
The group split up into smaller teams and attacked the area from all angles: in the water (tires were found), on the river banks, in the trees (from when the river water level rises and leaves deposits of debris including trash up in the branches), and up on the grassy flats along the park’s path. First time participant Hannah Ryan, who had the most interesting find of the day (a vintage bowling pin) said this about her experience:
Our group was one of many who participated at different locations along the river, and we were thrilled to see the final impact we were able to make together.
Thanks to everyone who pitched in to make Sweep the Hooch a memorable experience!