FAIRBORN, Ohio – Wright-Patterson Air Force Base employees teamed up with the city of Fairborn and Beavercreek Wetlands Association to host a community cleanup event in celebration of Earth Day at Community Park.
This year’s event brought out more than 50 people to pick up trash around the park.
“We are thrilled to partner with the city of Fairborn and the BCWA to once again celebrate Earth Day to help sustain and beautify our local community,” said Danielle Trevino, biological scientist with the 88th Civil Engineer Group’s Environmental Branch. “Taking care of our planet should be a priority for each one of us.”
This year’s Earth Day theme was “Invest in our planet.”
“Investing in the planet should be a priority for everyone. We can all do small things to create a more sustainable planet,” she added. “Most litter in our community is not biodegradable and it makes our communities unsafe for wildlife, and the microplastics eventually make their way into our soil, rivers and oceans...creating even more environmental concerns.”
Investing in the planet doesn’t have to be just on Earth Day, as Beth Edsall, Beavercreek Wetlands Association outreach director, points out.
“When working in your yard, avoid using pesticides because they run off and get into our water system and streams,” she said. “On a tangible note, use reusable products to reduce waste in our landfills, pick up trash and keep it from blowing out of your cars, and make sure you recycle eligible items.”
Both Edsall and Trevino agree the local effort was beneficial.
“We would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who took the time to come out today and make the event a success,” Edsall said. “It turned out to be a beautiful Earth Day afternoon, and we got to do some good for both our environment and our community.”
Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 when a demonstration was organized to raise awareness about environmental issues. It has been celebrated on April 22 ever since and more than 190 countries around the world now participate.