Renew Our Rivers removes 82 tons of trash and debris so far this year

The year is not half-over. But already, Renew Our Rivers volunteers have removed more than 164,000 pounds of trash and debris from Alabama lakes and rivers.

The lake and river cleanup campaign is celebrating 20 years in 2019.

Since it all began in 2000, more than 117,000 volunteers have joined the effort and collected more than 15.5 million pounds of trash and debris from waterways across the Southeast.

“We are thrilled at the turnout and support of Renew Our Rivers so far this year and look forward to more cleanups later this year,” said Mike Clelland, an Alabama Power Environmental Affairs specialist who helps coordinate the cleanups. Renew Our Rivers typically takes a break in the heat of summer, with cleanups starting again toward the fall.

“We could not do this without our many partners and volunteers, who have helped grow this effort the past 20 years,” Clelland said.

Through the first six months of the year, almost 2,500 volunteers have participated in 17 Renew Our River cleanups, which have been held across Alabama. Cleanups have been held on the Alabama, Black Warrior, Cahaba, Chattahoochee, Coosa and Mobile rivers and Valley Creek in Birmingham.

Another 13 cleanups are planned into fall. The next cleanup is Aug. 3 at Holt Lake on the Black Warrior River. The last cleanup of the year is Nov. 1-2 on Lake Martin.