(Photo by Robert Barossi)

by Robert Barossi

Whenever searching for volunteer stories around the internet, there’s never a lack of cleanup stories. Volunteers are constantly proving their dedication, passion and enthusiasm for the local environment by cleaning up rivers, lakes, ponds, beaches and ocean shores. Three recent stories include: Volunteers wade into water and pull muddy bicycles out of rivers in Idaho. All the way across the country, in New Jersey, they work to clean up a beach and plant dune grass at an annual event. Finally, up north in Michigan, shopping carts are just some of the items pulled out of Grand River by 120 volunteers.

All of these volunteers, and the hundreds more like them all over the world, deserve our appreciation and thanks. Their tireless efforts go a long way towards protecting waterways everywhere. Environmental organizations involved in the above efforts include Portneuf Watershed Partnership in Idaho, the Sea Isle City Environmental Commission in New Jersey, and the Grand River Environmental Action Team in Michigan.