2016 Charles River Cleanup

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

The EPMA's had an great turn out at the 17th Annual Charles River Clean-Up on Saturday. We were blessed with the elusive Boston spring sun! The Esplanade was packed full of strolling families, runners, cyclists and roller bladers all enjoying the fine weather. We were assigned to the river section between the Boston University and Massachusetts Ave Bridges, along with three other volunteer groups. We gathered at the Exercise Course on the Esplanade to pick up our Charles River Clean Up t-shirts, trash bags, and pick up tools, then headed off to get to work.

It was great to be alongside volunteers from all over Boston. There were retirees, school children and even some toddlers helping out. We split up to gather trash along the Storrow Drive fence line and by the water. The volume of trash was noticeably lower than past years due to our mild winter. We found a lot of broken glass in the rip rap along the shoreline, some car accident detritus along the road, and some old clothing by the water that had become a home for algae and small fresh water mollusks. 

The Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup brought over 3,000 volunteers together, highlighting the impact of community empowerment, teamwork and environmental stewardship. It was really inspiring to see the turnout and help contribute to the health of our city. 

After the clean-up, we gathered at the Hatch Shell for a group picnic. As music played over the loud speaker, people took over the lawn with picnic blankets, frisbee games and dancing. It was a great wrap up to an awesome day of service! 
Thank you to all of our volunteers, and we look forward to seeing you at our Earth Day Clean Up next year!