OVER 3,500 VOLUNTEERS CAME TOGETHER TO CLEAN UP THE CHARLES RIVER

April 16 2011 Boston, MA– On Saturday April 16th, 2011, more than 3,500 volunteers and community leaders joined forces to clean the banks of the 80-mile Charles River at the 12th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup. In a partnership led by Charles River Watershed Association, volunteers from 35 towns within the Charles River watershed worked together on this spring morning to beautify our valuable river.

“This is our twelfth year organizing the event, and each year we have more volunteers excited to help clean up the river and we have expanded to cover more sites along all 80 miles of the river and throughout the watershed. We are grateful to each and every person who comes out to pick up litter and help restore the Charles River.” said Bob Zimmerman, CRWA’s Executive Director.

Governor Deval Patrick joined the cleanup at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, with his remarks reminding all of us that a cleanup event of this magnitude indeed makes a difference and brings people together for a mutual cause: the betterment of our watershed. He remarked in his speech, “This place and these incredible natural resources are everyone’s and we should take care of them”. In order to reduce the amount of plastic trash along the Charles, the Governor also raised the importance for legislators to adopt a State Bottle Bill. Governor Patrick was prepared for a day of work, just like all other volunteers. Immediately after kicking-off the 12th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup, Governor Patrick and Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Deputy Commissioner Ed Lambert began landscaping with mulch at the Esplanade, and the volunteers began picking up trash while enjoying a windy yet sunny day on the banks of the Charles.

Commissioner Edward A. Lambert thanked all the volunteers for this rewarding task and is grateful with all the supporters and resources that made this event possible, “this is an example of stewardship”, he said.  Also supporting the clean up was Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell.

One of the largest single-day river cleanups in the country, the event was organized by a collaboration of Charles River Watershed Association, The Esplanade Association, Charles River Conservancy, State Senator Steven Tolman’s Office, the City of Newton, The Trustees of Reservations, Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

An estimated 15-20 tons of trash were removed from sites throughout the watershed.

After the cleanup, volunteers gathered to celebrate and share free refreshments at picnics across the watershed, including Artesani Playground Park in Allston-Brighton, Blue Herron Trail Way in Waltham, and Whole Foods in Bellingham. The picnics finished off a productive and rewarding day of community service beautifying one of Boston’s and Eastern Massachusetts’ premier attractions. All volunteers received a T-shirt designed by Massachusetts College of Art student Kim Foley.

Major sponsors of the event were New Balance Foundation, Hyatt Regency Cambridge, and Mix 104.1. Material and financial contributions for the Charles River Cleanup were also provided by International Power Bellingham, Amgen, Inc., Hannaford, Russo’s, Boston Marriott Newton, Swartz True Value, The Cadmus Group, Inc., Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Patagonia, Cambridge Boat Club, Community Rowing, Inc., Starbucks, Whole Foods, Camp Dresser & McGee (CDM), Watertown Community Foundation, Woodard & Curran, Chestnut Hill Realty, American Rivers, NSTAR, White Corporation, Massachusetts Institute of  Technology, Durkin Company, Boston University, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Cambridge Biomedical Research Group, The Charles River Bank, Clean Harbors Environmental, Triumvirate Environmental, Shaw’s, Coca-Cola, Stop & Shop, and Harvard University.

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Charles River Watershed Association’s mission is to use science, advocacy and the law to protect, preserve and enhance the Charles River and its watershed. One of our country’s first watershed organizations, CRWA formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the declining condition of the Charles River.  Since its earliest days of advocacy, CRWA has figured prominently in major clean-up and watershed protection efforts that have dramatically improved the health of the Charles.