Town of Windsor hosts trash cleanup in honor of Earth Day

The town of Windsor hosted its semi-annual trash cleanup April 24 in honor of Earth Day, hauling away 400 gallons of trash, or roughly enough to fill 18 trash bags.

Fourteen volunteers met on the corner of Hembree and Victory lanes and spent the afternoon picking up trash on the streets, sidewalks and in creeks that lead to the Russian River.

Volunteers typically collect between 15 to 20 bags of trash and around 20 volunteers participate, but this year, the count was slightly lower, according to town officials. Some of the volunteers were from WeAct, a group of residents working to address climate change, and the Windsor Rotary Club.

Among the more unusual finds were a broken windshield, window blinds and a wooden drawer from a bureau.

“Rain and wind carry trash, litter, and debris from the street to storm drains and directly to our creeks that lead to the Russian River,” the town of Windsor stated on Eventbrite in the post announcing the event.

The cleanup was organized in an effort to educate the public on the importance of preventing pollution and protecting the health of creek ecosystems in Windsor and the Russian River, according to Elizabeth Cargay, environmental program manager for the town of Windsor.

“These cleanup events supplement the efforts of the town’s staff and street sweepers and give us a chance to engage with the public in person about pollution prevention and supporting a healthy watershed,” Cargay said.

Volunteers received a free T-shirt and refreshments for their participation.

The town has been hosting cleanup events since 2017, every April for Earth Day and every September for Creek Week.

To find out when the next cleanup is happening, visit the town of Windsor’s Facebook page or Nextdoor.