The third decade of Renew Our Rivers (ROR)
gets underway in February with the first of
the year's 32 cleanups of Alabama rivers and
waterways.
If last year is any indication, there will be more
volunteers and more trash collected in 2020,
according to Mike Clelland, ROR coordinator. In
2019, 4,514 volunteers removed 158 tons of garbage
and trash, including old boats, maresses, tires,
appliances and other unsightly items.
"2019 featured more volunteers and slightly
more poundage removed compared to 2018," said
Clelland, an Environmental Affairs specialist for
Alabama Power at the General Services Complex
in Calera.
"Twenty years in and the enthusiasm and
participation remain strong. I fully expect 2020
to be just as successful as 2019, if not more so,"
Clelland predicted.
An Alabama River cleanup Feb. 15 leads off this
year's schedule, which concludes the first week of
November at Lake Martin.
Renew Our Rivers was started in 2000 by
Alabama Power employees at Gadsden Steam
Plant who were concerned about lier along
the Coosa River. It has since grown to become
one of America's largest river cleanups, with the
help of community partners, volunteers and
organizations.
Collectively, since 2000, 122,567 volunteers –
through the efforts of Southern Company's
Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia operating
companies – have collected 15,946,431 pounds
from waterways and shorelines in the South.
Updates to the schedule are available at
apcshorelines.com/blog/.
CONSERVATION
River cleanup
campaign moves
into third decade
By Gilbert Nicholson
6
