In Your Opinion: Help Clean Up Mile Run On April 9
Submitted by Franklin Township Environmental Commission.
The Franklin Township Environmental Commission (FTEC) is inviting residents to clean up Mile Run on Saturday, April 9, 2022, 9:30 a.m. to noon. Stream clean up is our tradition started by former Franklin Mayor, the late John Clyde.
For this important project, the FTEC is partnering with New Brunswick Environmental Commission (NBEC), Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP), Friends of Mile Run, AmeriCorps, The Watershed Institute (TWI) and others.
We can’t do it without you! Boys and Girls Clubs, Schools, Environmental Clubs, Businesses, Corporations and individuals, young and old, are invited to participate in this community event. Since 2007, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, we have removed more than 26,000 pounds of garbage from streams in our town. During our site pre-screening, we have identified lots of bottles, plastic plates, utensils, bags, tires and even abandoned vehicle.
Registration is mandatory and includes liability waiver. Please follow the link:
We will kick off the clean up from the intersection of Hamilton and Woodbridge Streets at 9:30 a.m. Stream Clean-up coordinators will meet you there and get you started.
All job supplies (gloves, garbage bags, pickers) will be provided. Please, bring a reusable water bottle, wear appropriate closed toe footwear for rough terrain, long sleeves and long pants. Light refreshments and water will be available.
Why is it important to keep our waterways clean? Streams, rivers and other water bodies make up the watershed where we all live. Watersheds are areas of land where runoff from rain and snow drains into a lake, stream, river or wetland. These watersheds are full of life. They provide habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife. They are also a source of drinking water for our communities. As part of this clean-up, FTEC will count the plastic bags found to help establish a baseline before the state plastic bag ban comes in full force in May 2022. Our joint mission is to keep water clean, safe and healthy through conservation, advocacy, science and education. Visit LRWP at http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/ and TWI at https://thewatershed.org/ to learn what we are doing to protect water.