Week 51- Funny Farm

Ben at the mall?  Bad idea.  Ben who is not feeling well at the mall?  Hide the children!  We intended to pick up litter on Monday when Ben felt better but since we had to go to the dreaded mall anyway, we decided to bring our buckets just in case.

It ended up being a wonderful idea because we were so eager to finish our stint at the mall we arrived there a half hour before the stores actually opened.  We headed South of South Center Mall and immediately came to farm country.  It was very strange.  We saw a llama farm that was in walking distance of Best Buy.  How convenient!  You may never know when that llama needs an upgrade.

We found a quick pick up spot next to another farm that had an abundance of trash near their fence.  I’m sure the guys in their tractors were a little intrigued at what we were doing but it was fun and different.  It was the perfect amount of time and we headed back to the mall where we accomplished both chores as painlessly as possible.

Week 50 – One Hundred Buckets!

Yay us! We reached the 100 bucket mark today at Alki Beach.  This is where it all started on October 12th 2008.   At an estimated 4 pounds per bucket Lori and I have rid western Washington of 400 pounds of litter!

Toss in 6 buckets from our Bucket Heads club and we’ve cleaned up the earth of 424 pounds of unsightly rubbish. It’s easy and fun, won’t you join us?

Week 49 – Show and Tell

I am always shocked at the abundance of litter around schools.  With all the anti-litter programs that schools have introduced to young children, you would think that it would have sunk in by now.  I picked up about ten freeze pop wrappers within a five feet span…it must have been a hot day.

With all the programs that we currently have in our school curriculum (which is a wonderful thing), they aren’t sinking in enough.  Parents need to take a bigger role in teaching their children about litter. Who do children emulate and listen to more than anyone else?

If they see you always grabbing a bag on your way to the park or the beach or picnic, making sure to clean up after yourselves, that will become routine.  If they see you not only picking up after yourselves but taking it a step further and picking up litter as you hike that path or walk down that beach,  they may not comment… but they will notice and remember.

Kids learn from watching their parents, they mimic our actions.  Whether it’s a casual thing or a significant lesson does not matter.  Not only do you teach them to be responsible for the earth but you teach them about community service.

Teach them by example….  2 buckets and 15 minutes later, Ben and I are first up for show and tell.  It’s your turn…

Week 48 – Health (and Earth) Care

Dedicated to our cause,  Lori and I headed out to a spot in West Seattle that appears to be a magnet for litter. It’s a wooded, curvy road that seems to be an easy target for ignorant and insensitive drivers. We filled two buckets but could have filled twenty more.

Now if we can just wade through the mountains of trash being thrown at our President and Congress we may end up with a decent Health Care bill that will benefit even the ignorant Americans who speak out against it.