Despite concerns about severe weather, hundreds of volunteers came out for the 23rd Annual Franklin/Green River Cleanup on September 26th!
The cleanup began the week before, with Eaglebrook School cleaning up Cherry Rum Creek in Greenfield. On Friday, the Four Rivers School and the Center School cleaned up four sites along the Green River and its tributaries.
On Saturday, crews began working at 8:30 a.m., with Scott Barlow and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department cleaning a major site along the Green River at Green River Park. Half-ton dump trucks carried the debris to the Green River Swim Area to be sorted with recycling as a focus. A massive group effort also occurred along the Green River Bike Path, with Kyle Nartowicz Tree Service and the PV Squared squad teaming up to do an incredible job, filling a 30-yard dumpster!
All of this trash and toxic material removed was on a floodplain and would eventually wash into the river! Lack of housing and increasing unhoused individuals is creating an enormous strain on waterways and sensitive environmental areas. All humans deserve the basic needs of shelter, food, water and safety. Unfortunately, being homeless along waterways is not a way to meet these needs.
The Green River Watershed supplies Greenfield with all of its water needs! It is one of the cleanest watersheds in Southern New England! The north stem of the Green River is clear, clean, high-quality water. Sadly, as it travels through Greenfield, it is severely polluted as it exits into the Deerfield River. It is essential we work to protect our rivers and the greenway around them from future overdevelopment and pollution. It is estimated that only 9 percent of the rivers in the U.S. are safe to swim in!
This is an incredible community event! Here is a list of the supporters; DRWA, CRC, PV Squared, Kyle Nartowicz Tree Service, Greenfield DPW, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Greenfield Recreation Department, Subway (Federal St.), Dunkin Donuts (Mohawk Trail), The People’s Pint, New Fortune, Foster’s Market, Antonio’s Pizza, (Bernardston), Clarkdales Fruit Farm, Adam’s Donuts, Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, Ryan & Casey Liquors, Real Pickles, Trout Unlimited, Fogbuster Coffee, Boys of the Landfill, Northfield Mountain Hermon, Deerfield Academy, Greenfield High School, Girl and Boy Scouts of America, WRSI, WHAI, Bear Country, Greenfield Recorder, NEPM, Harper’s Store, USA Hauling, Tapestry, Charlie and the recycling team, and all the committed volunteers who show up no matter what the weather says!
Special thanks to Jo Comerford, Lora Wondolowski, Rebecca Todd, Marion and Will, Sara Brown, Max Webber, Mountain Man Network, the lunch brigade, and the River Puppet People who marched in the Franklin County Fair, and anyone I may have forgotten.
Climate change and water depletion are real and increasing. It’s your river… we are water.
John David Boles
Franklin/Green River Cleanup Coordinator