GREENFIELD — While David Boles’ annual Green River Cleanup each fall has run strong for more than 20 years, he is still finding ways to protect the river during other times of year.
Boles has another cleanup in mind for Saturday, April 11. While the fall cleanup focuses on numerous sites along the Green River, the spring cleanup will be focusing on a specific, densely polluted stretch of the Greenfield bike trail. As always, volunteers are welcome.
“The April 11 cleanup is right along the bike trail. It’s a whole series of abandoned, unused housing that unhoused people have left,” he explained. “It’s an enormous amount of trash that is right on the river. Some of it is going right into the river now because it is on a floodplain.”
Those who are interested in volunteering are invited to gather at the corner of Riverside Drive and Colrain Street at 9:45 a.m. There will be a quick registration before the cleanup starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.
Boles recommends volunteers wear long pants, gloves and proper footwear, and bring wheelbarrows and extra cleanup tools, if possible. Boles noted that Tapestry Health will go through the site during the cleanup to identify any safety hazards.
Boles identified the site as it is part of the Green River Cleanup each fall, but he said the spring seemed best for a more thorough cleaning.
“The [site] is part of the Green River Cleanup in September, but we decided to go back in the spring because the vegetation will be low and we can do a more thorough job,” he explained. “This is the first time we’ll have ever had a cleanup in the spring, and it will only be on this 1.5-mile stretch of the bike path, but it is so polluted, so we still need a strong community response.”
While Boles is environmentally concerned, he is also a social worker and he wants to raise awareness for the homeless people in Greenfield. Boles noted that the cleanup sight does not include any campsites that are actively occupied.
“We’re also interested in raising the awareness to the homeless who gravitate to these stretches along the Green River, which is very unfortunate because they are often flooded or rained out,” he said. “It is also an environmental hazard for the river when people are residing so close to the river with no garbage disposal.”
Boles is not alone in his environmental advocacy efforts; he has numerous partner agencies involved. He extends his thanks to Tapestry Health, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Barlow Paving & Excavating, Nartowicz Tree Service and PV Squared.
PV Squared, for that matter, recently mobilized nearly 50 worker-owners to clean up the streets of Greenfield, in partnership with the Greenfield Business Association, the Recreation Department, Greening Greenfield and the Department of Public Works. Those involved spread out around the city, picking up trash that had been revealed as the snow melts, while also building momentum ahead of the April 11 cleanup.
“Every day is Earth Day at PV Squared, but spring in Greenfield is a special moment to come together and care for the place we live and work,” Brittany Hathaway, worker-owner and marketing and outreach specialist at PV Squared, said in a statement. “This is a simple way for our team to give back to a community that has supported us for over two decades.”
“This kind of collaboration is what makes Greenfield special,” added Hannah Rechtschaffen, director of the Greenfield Business Association. “When local businesses and community partners come together to care for our shared spaces, it creates momentum that benefits everyone.”
For those who may not be able to attend the cleanup effort on Saturday, this month is also “Blue Bag April.” Boles began organizing the monthlong event four years ago.
“Basically what Blue Bag April means is that free blue bags will be available at the John Zon [Community] Center, the DPW, the Garden Cinemas and the Greenfield Recreation Department throughout the month,” he said. “People can take these free blue bags and fill them up with litter throughout Greenfield, and people can put them out for pickup by the DPW.”
Boles clarifies that no household trash is allowed, and litter found must be able to fit into the blue bags. Last year, roughly 600 bags were collected.
Ultimately, Boles hopes his environmental advocacy work can raise wider awareness and spawn other cleanup projects.
“I am interested in raising awareness, especially among young people, that you can actually take some action and do some things to protect these rivers,” he said.
Boles serves on the board of directors for the Deerfield River Watershed Association, and he encourages those who are interested in organizing a cleanup, or looking to raise awareness, to reach out to the Deerfield River Watershed Association or the Greenfield-based Connecticut River Conservancy.