Pacific Northwest Litter Pick Up Project

Maintaining cleanliness and thus safeguarding health are….. a duty to our motherland; necessary for a harmonious relation between humanity and nature; and an unavoidable obligation to the coming generation. As far as every human being is concerned, it is his or her personal dharma or duty.

~Amma and Amala Bhartham Campaign

Inspired by Amma’s campaign to clean up India, in July 2011 Pacific Northwest devotees started planning an ongoing Green Friends litter pick up project. Amma approved the project during her Toronto programs later that month. By the end of July we had 10 members. As of January 10, 2012, 197 people had joined.! These members include devotees, as well as their friends, families and neighbors. The word is spreading as friends and neighbors are inviting others. Fifteen of Amma’s Pacific Northwest Satsangs (i.e.Washington, Oregon and British Columbia) are represented. We also have members from California, Indiana, Iowa, Toronto, and New York.

Members primarily work individually, but we also have bigger work parties. Our first work party was held on September 24,2011 in Seattle. Eighteen devotees and their friends participated. Since then there have been work parties in Seattle, Eugene and Port Townsend. Seattle area devotees received two grants from the King County Tobacco Prevention Program to pick up cigarette butts in two county parks. (You can learn more about those in the November and December newsletters below).

Once a month everyone reports the total number of hours they picked up litter during the month. In the first six months of this project, members picked up 1083.5 hours of litter! Many members have commented on how much joy they have felt in serving the earth and the community in this way. In July, Achala wrote: “30 hours of litter; 30 hours of bliss”.

Other reflections and stories from group members:

From Walter:
I love this litter collection community idea. I love to be part of a community doing this and a simple shift of an idea from resenting garbage cleanup to looking at it like community service and service to others has been a mental shift for me. Thank you.

From Geoff:
A little side story. We were waiting for the Edmonds ferry 2 weeks ago and it was a Friday. There was a big line way up the hill. So while we were waiting we got out to pick blackberries. We ate a lot of nice blackberries and after a while Lucia, who is 4 years old, and whose face and hands were now stained purple, switched to trash pick-up completely on her own and started pulling cans and other trash out of the bushes. After she had accumulated a good pile we loaded it in the car and the ferry line finally began to move. I was surprised, and then impressed, by her self-directed cleanup effort!

From Al:
Since I joined this project I see litter everywhere!

From Madhavi:
Since I signed up (for the project)…..I am finding so many things to be picked up around the house and in my life!!

From Tasha:
When I went walking on the Foster Island trail last weekend, with Visala, a duck swam up to us and we noticed that it looked like it had whiskers on one side of its head. Ducks don't have whiskers. As we looked closer we realized that it had two fishing lines stuck in its mouth. One end was stuck in its mouth and the other to some part of its back (under a wing). It hung out with us for a while as if waiting for us to help it. We tried to get help but had no luck. It hung around longer. What was so heart breaking about this duck's situation is that it was unable to extend its neck. This means that it can't dive for food under the water's surface. It can't stretch it's neck. I've seen a lot of pictures over the years of how pollution (and litter) affects animals but never up close. The duck really did seem to be waiting for us to help it! (I will attach a picture of the duck in case you think it works here)

From Karuna:
As I was returning home from picking up litter, a young man called out to me. He was probably in his twenties and was clearly coming home from some kind of sports practice. He said, “I want to personally thank you for what you are doing. When I see you cleaning up all of the litter and beer cans and bottles I get inspired to do the same. I am going home to teach my kids that this is the way to be.” Needless to say, I was very touched. And I realized that this is a big part of what this project is about. Every time we clean something up in a public place, whether it is in a park, on a beach, or on a city street, we are seen. We are seen by people walking by; seen by people in passing buses and cars; seen by people waiting for the buses or just hanging out. Some of them may themselves start cleaning up litter. Some may teach their children. Some may think twice before they throw garbage on the ground. This is one way to change the world.

For more information, or to join the project, contact Karuna Poole at karunap108@ comcast.net .

Read the Litter Project Newsletters: