The parish may still be uncertain over whether or not to bring back curbside recycling, but until that decision is reached, they plan to use volunteers to take out the trash one piece at a time.
St. Charles Parish will go “green” on March 14 with its first-ever litter cleanup and recycling event called the “Trash Bash.”
Planning for the event began in 2008 after Parish President V.J. St. Pierre and members of the Parish Council expressed a desire to see litter eliminated from parish streets and highways before high-profile events like the Hahnville vs. Destrehan football game.
But the idea soon expanded to what officials hope will become an annual litter awareness, parish beautification and recycling event all rolled into one.
On March 14, groups of volunteers will fan out around the parish at 8:30 a.m. to clear designated litter hotspots in each community. All equipment, such as pickup sticks, gloves, trash bags, sunscreen and drinks, will be provided.
“We will identify those hotspots based on who signs up to volunteer and what areas they live in,” Parish spokeswoman Renee Allemand-Simpson said. “We will have a designated captain in certain areas, and since that person knows their area, they will decide where trash needs to be picked up.”
Right now, 53 total volunteers have signed up through the parish’s Web site. Allemand-Simpson said that the parish is also working with the public school system to get all the schools involved in some related activity either the week before or after the Trash Bash.
The parish has included a sign-up form on outgoing water bills and residents can also sign up to volunteer by visiting the parish’s new Web site at http://www.stcharlesparish-la.gov/trashbash.
After volunteers are done picking up trash and recycling, they will be treated to free jambalaya at 11:30 a.m. at the Spillway boat launch.
Besides serving as a way to beautify the parish, the event will also help educate the community about local recycling and environmental preservation efforts. Valero will be on hand to present information on its hazardous waste recycling program and Keep America Beautiful will provide information on recycling and how to keep the community clean.
The LeBranch Wetland Watchers and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office will also be represented at the event.
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