Mountain Village Green Team Community Clean Up Day: Saturday, August 6

Mountain Village and the Green Team Committee hosts the annual Community Clean Up Day on Saturday, August 6, 2022.

This year’s Clean Up Day will be based out of Heritage Plaza in Mountain Village Center.

“Per the Leave No Trace ethos, ‘There’s no substitute for nature. Together we can protect it from impacts like overuse, trash, and harming endangered wildlife.’” said Environmental Efficiencies and Grant Coordinator Lauren Kirn, who is organizing the event.

“Mountain Village is not shielded from the effects of human impact and we need to do our best to ensure that we protect it and leave it as we found it, if not better,” Kirn added.

Volunteers are asked to arrive between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to register, pick up trash bags and receive designated areas of where to clean up trash. There will be coffee and donuts during registration. The clean up itself will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.

Participants will be provided bags for trash, recycling, and composting and are encouraged to bring gloves, wear long pants and comfortable shoes.

After the clean up, hang out in Heritage Plaza between noon and 2 p.m. with a raffle and prizes for things like weirdest trash found and most trash collected.

New this year, the Clean Up Day celebration will include educational booths about local solid waste diversion and general environmental efforts in our region. Visitors and participants can learn from local waste hauler Bruin Waste Management and composting company 3xM Grinding and Compost.

“Education and engagement are undeniable components of behavior change,” Kirn said. “This year, we are excited to expand Community Clean Up Day to include educational and information booths from local waste hauler, Bruin Waste Management, Olathe-based composting company 3xM Grinding and Compost and EcoAction Partners, to name a few.”

“We not only want to pick up trash, but change behavior to where no trash exists to pick up in the first place,” she added.