24 Clean-Up Jobs Done by Volunteers That Brought Polluted Places Back to Their Previous Glory

Hundreds of people equipped with bags, nets, and trash cans gather at beaches, around lakes, and in cities around the world to do clean-up jobs. Despite their limitations, they collect garbage while asking their communities to change their mindset in order to keep their cities clean.

Bright Side celebrates this initiative and believes that the stories from these volunteers may be inspiring to other people who are looking to make a change and help an environmental cause. That’s why we are sharing some examples of citizen science from around the world.

1. “My dad and I de-trashed a country road while it was closed for resurfacing! We filled the trunk of our car...”

2. “Small amount of trash collected along a river”

3. “Connecticut is cleaner by 6+ buckets of trash, thanks to my grandchildren!”

4. “600 lbs: some from the water, some from the land... It’s always a trashy time at Summit Lake.”

5. “The company wouldn’t pick it up unless someone sorted it. So I did.”

6. “In Poland, we have a long weekend right now. We’ve decided to do something with our local forest.”

7. “What a difference a quick litter pick-up makes!”

8. “250 lbs cleared from the Sandy River banks in Oregon!”

9. “I have started a personal crusade against littering in Wembley Park, London.”

“All the rubbish in this picture was found within a 5-meter-wide (16 ft) enclosure.”

10. “Every morning, Newton Highlands, MA, gets one bag cleaner. My picking partner is adorable, but completely useless.”

11. “A small litter pick-up and the first road sign cleaned”

12. “Walterdale cleanup crew”

13. “By far my most ambitious clean-up. Towed this beast almost half a mile behind my board to get it out of the river.”

14. “De-trashed one block in my Philadelphia neighborhood. Filled 4 contractor bags!”

15. “22 lbs cleared in this battle to save the planet. We can do better together. Thanks to everyone’s good deeds in Mexico and around the globe.”

16. “150 lbs of wet blankets, towels, and other discarded stuff hauled 300 yards up from the beach.”

17. “The whole town organized a clean-up and I took part by helping to clean up the mess that washed up along the shoreline. And in about 200 meters or so we managed to collect over 30 bags of trash. I must say it was surely worth it!”

18. “The Trash Fishing crew pulled 142 lbs of trash out of the Detroit River.”

19. “There is no Plan(et) B.”

20. “Organized a community de-trashing event, but nobody showed up. However, we made progress toward our goal anyway.”

21. “3 hours, 75 volunteers, and 395.5 lbs of trash picked up! Huge thanks to everyone who came!”

22. “For the turtles! Note to self: always bring gloves and a grabber.”

23. “Another successful beach clean-up. Picked up over 200 lbs in Long Beach, California.”

24. “It may not be the biggest haul, but I spent the last hour crawling around the park to get these water balloons. Little lizard stopped by to make it worth it.”

What is the most contaminated area in your city? What have you done or would you be willing to do to get this land back? Tell us in the comment section.