Clean Walks: Guess What We Found?
***Guest Blog: Mei Lin is the founder and CEO of Clean Walks, who has lived in Atlanta almost ten years. She started bringing her own trash bags and picking up trash when walking on Piedmont Road and PATH400, and near the US Post office, spurring the formation of Clean Walks.***
Get ready to hear about an adventure that went down on March 19th with the CLEAN WALKS team! Even with extreme weather conditions on a Sunday morning, 11 brave volunteers gathered at the Pharr Road post office (belongs to federal government) for a mission to clean up our city. These volunteers didn’t have to go far to find some serious trash – in just 60 minutes, they had collected an incredible haul. They pulled out four tires, one oil tank, one suitcase, two bicycle wheels, five heavy-duty trash bags, two recycling bags filled with all kinds of liquid bottles, and even a pistol! But the Clean Walks volunteers didn’t just clean up the streets – they also took a stand for safety in our city. They reported the pistol to the police, helping to ensure that our community stays safe and secure.
It’s inspiring to see people coming together like this to make a positive impact on the world around us. The CLEAN WALKS volunteer with three employees from BALENCIAGA showed us all what it means to be true community heroes, braving the elements and working hard to keep our city clean and safe. Let’s all take a cue from these amazing volunteers and do our part to make the world a better place – no matter what challenges we may face along the way! Our next cleanup is April 8 at 9:00 – 10:30 along Sydney Marcus closer to Piedmont and we hope you’ll join us!
Some Thoughts from Mei Lin
Many people ask me why I am doing this. One of the main reasons is because of you, my beautiful-minded volunteers. You are selfless, brave, and have good hearts. Your participation has helped me to continue doing this important work. I cannot emphasize enough how important you are to me and to others.
Another reason I enjoy this work is seeing the results of our efforts when we pick up trash from our streets and prevent them from damaging our environment. It is a great feeling to make a difference in our community. Finally, since starting this initiative, I have begun to reflect on my own life. It is not just about the bad apples throwing trash; it is also about me and the choices I make. Should I reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle the goods I consume? Are the products I use eco-friendly? These are important questions to consider, and I am grateful for this opportunity to reflect and improve.
Although we are far from reaching our goal, we are already making a difference every time we meet and practice our CLEAN WALKS. Thank you for being a part of this journey.
Clean Walks provides a simple and impactful way to benefit our health, environment and community.
