Five Pieces a Day Can Make a Big Difference

Five Pieces a Day Can Make a Big Difference

What if helping keep Alton clean took less time than brewing your morning coffee?

Here's a little math worth remembering.

Pick up just five pieces of litter every day, and you'll remove 1,825 pieces in a year.

Now imagine 100 residents doing the same thing. That's 182,500 pieces of trash collected annually!

Of course, not every piece would otherwise reach a storm drain or river. But every item collected is one

less piece of litter left behind in our community.

The EPA identifies trash from streets and other land-based sources as a major contributor to pollution in

waterways.

You don't need to organize a major cleanup to make a difference. Small, consistent actions can add up

to something remarkable.

THE TAKEAWAY: The next time you see a discarded bottle or wrapper, remember that even one

piece counts. Use gloves or a litter grabber, and leave sharp or hazardous items for trained

crews.

SOURCE: U.S. EPA, Learn About Aquatic Trash — epa.gov/trash-free-waters/learn-about-aquatic-trash