If you are interested in observing Earth Day, here are some upcoming clean-up projects happening this weekend and beyond!

Annual Six Mile Creek Cleanup 4/24-25 (Saturday and Sunday): Any time over the weekend, come to the portion of the creek that runs from Cayuga St to Meadow St. Bring sturdy gloves and a face mask. You can pick up two trash bags (supplied by the City of Ithaca) from the west side of the small NYSEG structure that’s located on the north bank of the creek, just east of the intersection of North Titus St and Plan St. Or bring your own bags!

You may deposit bags back at the NYSEG structure: two piles for recyclable and non-recyclable trash.


Other Cleanup events 4/24 – 5/02:

April 24

Embrace the Lake trash clean-up, Ithaca 9:30 a.m.: In the drainage swales along the frontage road between the front of Walmart and Meadow Street. Park in the WalMart lot and join us. Bring bags and gloves – some will be available onsite, too. Wear masks! We have cleaned here in two previous years, and 2021 is the worst yet. Sponsored by First Baptist Church, Ithaca. 

Embracing the Lake – SpringCleanCayuga – Many community groups are doing localized cleanups this year, on water shorelines and ditches and in neighborhoods. 

Contact Patricia Haines at levelgreen2010@gmail.com for information about scheduled events not listed here. 

Contact Hilary L at steward@cayugalake.org if you need free supplies (beautiful posters, bags, gloves) and the loan of trash grabbers for your local cleanup. 

Wear masks – socially distance!


Earth Day 2021 Owasco River Clean-up: 10 a.m. Auburn Celebrate Earth Day 2021 & help provide some spring cleaning for the Owasco River in downtown Auburn. Volunteers are asked to meet by the Mill Street Dam or where Canal Street intersects with Osborne Street. Bring your own gloves and rakes. Supplies such as garbage bags and leaf bags will be provided. We will also have some tools available. COVID protocols will be adhered to for this outdoor event. This event is sponsored by the Auburn Beautification Commission, Inc., Cayuga Climate Action, Auburn Downtown BID and the City of Auburn. http://www.beautifulauburn.org/


Rotary Rt. 13 Highway cleanup: 9 a.m. Ithaca The Ithaca Rotary Club has for many years been cleaning up the both sides of the section of Rt. 13 from the Triphammer Road exits to the Stewart Park exits. We work with the DOT who provides the orange bags for trash pickup. We wear high visibility vests, hard hats and gloves during the cleanup, with masks and social distancing during these COVID times. Meet in the parking lot of the former Chamber of Commerce building on East Shore Drive (near Stewart Park) at 9:00 a.m., where you will deploy into small teams to clean the highway. The cleanup is being dedicated to our friend and former colleague, Noel Desch, who passed away earlier this year. He conceived the project idea and chaired the event for many years. 


May 1-2

STATEWIDE – Saturday-Sunday May 1-2: I Love My Park Day, organized by Parks & Trails of NY.

Find out about/sign up for cleanup events at a state park you love near you, statewide: https://ptny.wufoo.com/forms/mbmmsne0a1lq89/


Saturday May 1, Ithaca’s Stewart Park 10 a.m.-noon Show how much you love Stewart Park for Parks and Trails New York’s I Love My Park Day! Meet by the Information Kiosk near the new playground for a morning of cleanup, landscaping and planting! Dress for the weather, wear boots [and masks], and bring gloves, garbage bags, rakes, gardening tools, litter grabbers or anything else that will help. Contact Rick Manning for details: rick@friendsofstewartpark.org & get info at Friends of Stewart Park’s Facebook page.