Every Day is Earth Day…

May 9

By: Ellen Harris, Ed & Volunteer Specialist

Volunteering is always better with a pal.
Photo Ellen Harris

Gathering litter at the shoreline of Carter Lake. What a beautiful day we had!
Photo Ellen Harris

Step one: Schedule Earth Day projects- a litter cleanup and a trail project, as is traditional in the hallowed halls of Larimer County’s Department of Natural Resources. Earth Day, April 22nd, is a Saturday, what luck!

Step two: Recruit volunteers. The fabulous Jenna will post on social media, I will send flyers around to all the popular trailheads. Joel of the Trails will mention it to the groups who love doing trail work. Nice.

Step three: Supplies! Joel needs parking passes, gloves, snacks, and drinks. I need a nice stack of maps, some trash bags, trash grabbers, and a check in table. They’re all ready the Thursday before. I’m keeping an eye on the weather…

Step four: It’s Friday afternoon. Joel calls. It’s supposed to snow tonight. Shoot! Trail work isn’t particularly safe when it’s slippery, so even if the snow melts, we need to cancel the trail project. Alright. I’m still hoping the snow will melt on contact with the ground and the litter will still be visible. Joel has time next Saturday, so we reschedule.

Step five: Wake up at 6:30 on Saturday morning. The light outside has that blank gray-white look to it. I already know there’s snow on the ground. Ah, Earth Day, reminding us of the Earth’s fickle nature. I pull out my phone, log on to our public calendar, and cancel and reschedule the whole thing without lifting my head off the pillow. All the participants get emails about the rescheduled date, but people are busy and might already have plans for next Saturday. So…

Step six: Jenna- socials. Joel- trail groups. Me- answering questions.

Step seven: Saturday, April 29th is stunningly beautiful. There is a herd of elk next to the parking lot. There are birds singing. It is not Earth Day. Every day is earth day.

Step eight: Send the volunteers out into the world shielded by gloves and sunscreen and armed with trash bags and grabbers or Mcleods, rock bars, and pick-mattocks. Today we are making the world a better place.

Results: 10 large trash bags of litter, 500 feet of new trail built!