National CleanUp Day Opportunity at the YMCA
“What if everyone just picked up one piece of litter?”
National CleanUp Day is Saturday, September 15, and held in conjunction with World CleanUp Day.
National Cleanup Day has partnered with Clean Trails to bring an awareness of the problem of litter to the country.
Clean Trails is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the outdoors clean. It started when friends Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby began picking up trash while hiking.
They brainstormed about how they could involve more people and created a nonprofit called Clean Trails. They envisioned an operation that would be financially stable and not rely upon continuous fundraising, but with a plan that would impact every type of trail, leading to a cleaner outdoor environment.
Study after study showed that the highest indicator that someone will pick up litter is if they witness someone else picking up litter. That’s because peer group norms were found to be more powerful than incentives, and when worked in concert with each other, they can provide behavioral change.
“Core to our beliefs is the notion that people want to do the right things; all they need is a little encouragement or incentive,” the two men wrote. “We believe that people are naturally responsible; if we encourage them to care for their favorite places, to pick up after themselves and others, then our trails will become self-sufficient, clean, and more enjoyable.”
The Palisades YMCA is offering an opportunity to join the effort from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, September 15 at Simon Meadow, 15551 Sunset Blvd. To register online visit: ymcaLA.org/NationalCleanUpDay.