Communities In US, Canada Work Together For Great Lakes Cleanup Event

lakemichigan7534-8
lakemichigan7534-8

Some Michiganders are part of a multi-state effort this week to clean up and protect the Great Lakes. The volunteer campaign involves seven Great Lakes communities, and is made possible through $300,000 in funding from the EPA’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Grand Traverse Baykeeper Heather Smith says each of the communities involved has been conducting its own annual cleanups but the EPA Trash Free grant allows for broad collaboration.

“This is unique in that we have a number of organizations working across the basin,” Smith said. “We’re getting a lot of momentum to remove some of the trash on our area beaches and our near shore waters that are certainly threatening habitat and drinking water sources.”

The coalition hopes to remove 68 metric tons of trash from more than 17,000 acres of watershed by the end of 2022. A schedule of events can be found at GreatLakesCleanUp.org. Other communities taking part in the effort are in states including New York and Wisconsin.