Happy Earth Day! Are you looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day and do something for Burnside Park?
Any urban park deals with trash and litter in some capacity and Burnside Park is no different. Who cleans up this trash? The city Parks Department, the Downtown Improvement District, and during the summer our own summer staff. That’s a lot of people, time and money spent cleaning up trash when they could be doing other work to make your parks even better.
What type of litter is the most common in Burnside Park? According to Program Coordinator, Leah Paladino, it’s mostly food wrappers and containers which are carelessly tossed, or blow into the park.
- Candy wrappers and chip bags are often found in and around the playground. Snacks are best enjoyed outside of the playground area, and all bags and wrappers should be placed in the trash receptacles. Food and food wrappers in the playground attract pests and rodents.
- Plastic bags and napkins from nearby restaurants are often found on and around park benches. Many people bring their lunch to enjoy in the park. We love this! No one loves though when trash from that lunch is left on a bench, or thrown under a bench. Paper napkins carelessly tossed get blown around the park in the wind. Put all items from your lunch in the bag and throw the bag in a trash can.
- Empty cans, particularly soda and energy drinks, are often rolling around the park in the wind. The best option for cans would be to hang onto them until you find a recycling bin. However, if a bin is not nearby, it is better to throw the can into a trash bin than leave it on a bench to get blown around the park.
Want to be a part of the positive change happening in Burnside Park? There are many ways you can get involved. Consider hosting a volunteer day with your friends or coworkers, sponsor one of our free summer programming events, make a one-time donation, or just spend time in the park and tag us on Instagram!