Photo by Karen Sughrue of trashed shoreline at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR)
Photo by Steve McAuley of truckload of trash on Sapelo Island.
Charlotte Dixon posing with interesting trash find at SNWR. She and Joe Bonds took the Michigan State University students out to the Refuge to pick-up where we left off.
Earth Day Cleanup at Fort Pulaski
Celebrate Earth Day by getting up early to kayak the tidal creeks around Fort Pulaski National Monument to collect the trash which has accumulated in the salt marsh. Don't worry if you don't have a kayak. We will be providing kayaks free of charge to anyone who needs one. Sign-up online and let us know how many kayaks you will need. We will be getting an early start (8:00am) to take advantage of the high tide and the cooler temperatures.
March Cleanup a Record Breaker
After collecting 170 bags of trash from the shoreline of Onslow Island on the Savannah River, the 50 plus volunteers from Clean Coast, the Ports Authority, and the Friends of the Savannah Refuge, realized that they had merely scratched the surface and that future trips will be necessary to cleanup the decades worth of trash which has accumulated at this site. It just so happens that a group of young people from Michigan State University were on their way to Savannah on an alternative Spring break. When they arrived a few days after our event, we sent them to the wildlife refuge to pick-up where we left off and they collected another 100 bags of debris for a record breaking grand total of 270 bags of trash from one site. Sadly more remains and we will need to return a few more times to get it all cleaned up. Check out the photos here.
Small Group Makes a Big Difference on Sapelo
Nine Clean Coast volunteers spent the weekend of April 13 -15 on Sapelo Island where they picked up 1,000 pounds of trash from the marshfront shoreline along the west side of the island. See photos here. We owe special thanks to Charlotte Dixon for organizing this overnight excursion and Sapelo Island Manager Fred Hay for accommodating Clean Coast.
Other Earth Day Events in Savannah
While we hope that you will sign-up for the Earth Day Cleanup at Fort Pulaski, you might not feel up to it. There are plenty of other ways to observe the day. Our April 21 cleanup is on the same day of the City of Savannah's Earth Day Festival in Forsyth Park.
On Tuesday, April 24 Citizens for Clean Air and Water and Savannah State University are presenting an Earth Day Forum on the Ogeechee River Fish Kill. A panel of experts will provide information on both the legal and scientific aspects of this important issue. Event will take place at 6:30 pm at Savannah State MAGEC STEM Center (Hubert A, Room 111).
On Thursday, April 19, The Coastal Group Sierra Club is sponsoring a presentation by Dr. Sydney Smith, owner of a solar farm in Bulloch County and co-founder of Lower Rates for Customers. Learn how Smith is challenging the law and Georgia Power to pave the way for lower rates and green energy.The presentation begins at 7:00 pm.,at the First Presbyterian Church, 520 Washington Ave.
