Today was the first official day of The Babeled Ton of Trash Project. The location of today’s garbage hunt was Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area in West Creek, NJ.
It didn’t take long. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by how quickly I was able to fill my pickup with the trash I found laying around. It never ceases to amaze me at how lazy and careless some people can be to leave so much of their own garbage in an otherwise beautiful area. In just 20 minutes my truck was packed with carelessly discarded junk and I was on my way to the recycling center in Tuckerton, NJ.
Here is a snap shot of what I was able to collect in the first 20 minutes of the project:
- 6 Tires (128 lbs)
- Pieces of a fiberglass boat (42 lbs)
- Pieces of vinyl fence and a resin deck chair (23 lbs)
- 1 Xbox Rock Band Drum Set (8 lbs)
- Pieces of a plastic power washer (7 lbs)
- 1 metal wash tub (6 lbs)
In just twenty minutes, I was able to collect the first 214 lbs of garbage. The tires and washtub were taken to the recycling center and the rest was properly disposed of. The energy saved by recycling 134 lbs of metal and rubber will help to reduce greenhouse emissions and the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area is that much more enjoyable now that a pile of some lazy person’s junk is not creating an eyesore. Not too shabby for twenty minutes and one person. It’s not much, but it’s certainly a start.
Remember, the goal of the project is 500 volunteers who pledge to pickup one ton of trash each and recycle or properly dispose of it. So far a few have signed on to the project, but we remain well short of the 500 person mark.
When it comes to the environment, unfortunately most people are all talk. Most would rather complain to the government or point fingers at Corporate America instead of taking personal responsibility for their own environment. I am hoping that there are at least of few more of us out there who are willing to back up the rhetoric with personal action. If you are willing to support the project, let us know in the comments section and be sure to keep us updated on your progress!
214 lbs down.
1,786 lbs to go.
~Man Overboard
2 Comments
Is the Corporate America jab at Keeks? I seem to have heard him mutter something like this once or twice.
Certainly not a shot directly at Keeks, but I too have heard such an utterance from him from time to time.
I was mainly referring to the fact that most outspoken environmental types are quick to criticize and slow to action. Government and corporations certainly are not without sin, but they are also the logical scapegoats in this situation.