Eliminating Litter - Keeping Grosse Ile Clean
It happens every year. The snow melts and we get a fresh look at all our trash underneath. Litter everywhere. It should inspire us to pick up the junk, keep our lawns, driveways and neighborhood looking clean and inviting. Time passes and the litter stays:
-
cluttering the drains
-
the ditches
-
the driveways
-
eventually making its way into the river and ground water.
-
shouldn’t this unsightly mess upset everyone?
​
“When travelling around the island, it is very disturbing to see the amount of litter present. There are many homeowners who border or are close to open space land or Township-owned land, who with little effort, could help keep these areas litter free. If more residents would pick up litter in front of and areas around their homes, it would make a MAJOR improvement in the community’s appearance.” – D. Thiel (Past President GINLC)
Here are some suggestions for a clean neighborhood and a better-looking Grosse Ile:
-
Beware of your own litter. Especially after trash pickup day. Keep the street in front of your house litter free.
-
Keep the recyclables covered in your blue recycle bin, Items blow away then don’t get picked up.
-
On windy nights, wait until morning to put your recyclables curbside.
-
Pick up and throw away the plastic wrapped paper that contains advertising (for example "Sunday Select Advertisement". You can email cserv@michigan.com (or call 1-800-395-3300) with your name and address and state you don't want the Select newspaper delivered.)
-
Please do not throw your cigarette butts out the car window.
-
When you take a walk, on the bike path, or on your own street, take something to carry the litter you pick up. (A 5-gallon pail and trash pick-up grabber work very well).
-
Participate in Island Clean up days. Grosse Ile Kiwanis coordinates a clean-up day every year. Bring your friends too.
-
Participate in clean up days coordinated by other organizations (for example, friends of Detroit River, Detroit River Coalition)
-
Spread the word. Chat with your neighbors about picking up the trash in the ditches. Take pride in having a tidy neighborhood.
GINLC hopes that we all can make this a priority, to keep our own neighborhoods clean and healthy looking. Picking up our litter is for the sake of our community, as well as for the sake of the environment. Let’s do more to improve our beautiful Island. We can begin this task at home, for the good of all of us.