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Campbell Riverite ‘frustrated’ about amount of garbage picked on Earth Day

Ron Ritchey pulled 2.5 bags of trash out of environmentally sensitive areas
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Campbell Riverite Ron Ritchey removed 2.5 large bags of trash from near the Campbell River estuary area on Earth Day. Photo courtesy Ron Ritchey

Campbell Riverite Ron Ritchey spent his Earth Day removing nearly 2.5 large bags of trash from an ecologically sensitive area of Campbell River, and he’s hoping people start to think twice about how they discard their trash.

Ritchey and his wife started picking up trash at about 8 a.m. on Friday, and by the afternoon had amassed almost three large bags of litter.

“It’s very frustrating how much garbage we picked up over the areas that we covered,” Ritchey said. “From the (Tyee) Spit to Haig Brown to the environmentally sensitive area behind Canadian Tire… and then to the hydro bridge trail there. We got 2.5 full huge garbage bags full.”

He said it was surprising how much garbage was in the area.

“It’s been quite a day of picking,” he said. “I wish I could say that I feel really happy about it, but it’s more depressing than anything. It’s just as easy to throw your stuff into a garbage can than it is to feel guilty about throwing something out your window.

“Even if (people) don’t participate in Earth Day or clean ups or anything, they can just participate in not throwing stuff out the window of their car, or not putting it in the back of their trucks, I don’t know what it is. Clearly some of it’s discarded,” he said. “I think its so important for people to realize what they’re doing. Some of that garbage was old and hasn’t deteriorated a bit, it’s obviously been there a few years, some of it.”

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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com

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Ron Ritchey spent his Earth Day removing garbage from the area near the Haig Brown House in Campbell River. Photo courtesy Ron Ritchey


Marc Kitteringham

About the Author: Marc Kitteringham

I joined Campbell River Mirror in early 2020, writing about the environment, housing, local government and more.
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