NEWS RELEASE
GREEN ORILLIA
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Environmentally concerned community members took to the streets on Saturday to clean up Orillia. The Fall Community Garbage Pick Up, the first event organized by Green Orillia, aimed to remove the litter in Orillia’s downtown and Couchiching Beach Park.
A team of 24 volunteers spent an unseasonably warm morning filling bags of litter. The event started at the Orillia Waterfront Centre with handing out bags, gloves, and splitting into groups.
Groups worked to tackle areas of downtown Orillia, including the waterfront, Colborne Street, Front Street, and the areas in between. All together, 17 bags of garbage were collected and properly disposed of.
“I’ve been running the Green Orillia page for a few months now and really wanted to do a community event before the snow falls,” said event organizer, Madeleine Fournier.
“The goal of the event was to connect like-minded people who are interested in the environment and sustainability, and bring more attention to the need for everyone in the community to play a part in helping keep Orillia clean.”
Litter left in our environment is not only an eye sore; it is harmful to the earth. Most of the litter cleaned up will not naturally break down in our lifetimes.
Trash is commonly found along the sides of roads, buildings, and fences due to the wind. Often, these items can end up in our water systems. By removing the litter, Green Orillia aims to prevent further pollution to the lakes, wildlife, and ecosystem.
Gift cards were generously donated by Refillery District as a draw prize for the participants, encouraging attendees to shop locally and shop eco-friendly. For those who were not able to make it and those who want to make an impact, Green Orillia will be planning another garbage pick up event in the spring.
Green Orillia is a community-driven organization that aims to provide news, tips, resources, and initiatives for sustainable and conscious living in Orillia. You can learn more by following Green Orillia on Facebook and Instagram.
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