Prineville volunteers join statewide Earth Day cleanup
Oregonians demonstrated their commitment to a clean and healthy Oregon Saturday, joining together in dozens of communities for SOLVE’s 29th annual SOLVE IT for Earth Day, presented by Portland General Electric.
This statewide event began in 1990 to clean up Portland-area neighborhoods and illegal dump sites. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest Earth Day events in the nation, with hundreds of sites across the state and more than 9 million pounds of litter and invasive plants removed over the last two decades.
This year, an estimated 47,000 pounds of trash and debris were collected from over 170 sites including neighborhoods, parks, school grounds and natural areas around the state. Invasive, non-native plants were cleared from more than 4 acres, and 1,900 native trees and shrubs were planted.
Quintin Bauer, SOLVE’s program director, remarked, “This incredible work could not be accomplished without the thousands of volunteers who give their time. We are so grateful to each and every one!”
An Oregon tradition, now in its third decade, the event brings together families, groups, individuals and businesses at community-led projects across our state in an effort to improve and preserve the treasured areas that make our state so unique.
Participating volunteer groups included event sponsors Portland General Electric, KOIN 6, Genentech, Comcast, Schnitzer Steel, and Advantis Credit Union. In addition volunteers from the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, churches, community groups, and dozens of schools helped at projects across the state.
“PGE and its employees care about the communities where we live and work, that’s why we’ve proudly supported SOLVE for over two decades,” said Sunny Radcliffe, director of government affairs at Portland General Electric and a current member of the SOLVE Board of Directors.
“Throughout the month of April, hundreds of PGE employees and their friends and families, will roll up their sleeves and pitch in at SOLVE IT for Earth Day and other volunteer events across our operations area – for our annual Spring Into Action campaign, which celebrates Earth Day and National Volunteer Month.”
There were project highlights throughout the state.
In downtown Portland, more than 400 volunteers spread out along the Willamette River at multiple different events. Together volunteers removed over 3,000 pounds of trash, helping protect waterways and wildlife. Employees from presenting sponsor, Portland General Electric worked to pickup 915 pounds of trash from that neighborhood alone. Volunteers scoured the Tillamook State Forest for litter, ultimately collecting close to 6,000 pounds including sofas, car hoods, sinks, and a mattress. In Southern Oregon, along the Bear Creek Greenway, over 100 volunteers took part in 7 different events, picking up trash and removing invasive weeds from along the creek. This event, organized by the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, continues to grow each year. In Crook County, volunteers met at Pioneer Park in Prineville and then headed to different parks and natural areas to make a difference for their community. Together, 51 volunteers removed 2,000 pounds of trash and 150 tires.
With Portland General Electric, sponsors include: Metro, Clean Water Services, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Washington County, K103fm, and KOIN 6, City of Beaverton, Comcast, Skanska, Oregon Bottle Drop, Bud Light & Keep America Beautiful, Advantis Credit Union, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. and Genentech.
About SOLVE
SOLVE is a statewide nonprofit organization that brings people together to improve the environment and build a legacy of stewardship. Over four decades, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots group to a national model for volunteer environmental action. Today, SOLVE mobilizes and trains tens of thousands of volunteers across Oregon to clean up beaches and rivers, and restore watersheds. Visit solveoregon.org for more information.
