AUSTIN, Texas — Volunteers gathered Friday to clean up trash on Lady Bird Lake and in the surrounding parkland. The free event was in celebration of Earth Day and will benefit the Austin Parks Foundation.
Rowing Dock hosted the event, which required advance online registration for a two-hour time slot. Rowing Dock said in an unusual twist on a traditional cleanup, volunteers at this event had the option to pick up trash by land or by boat.
Rowing Dock partnered with Epic SUP, which will help clean up the east end of the lake. Keep Austin Beautiful donated all gloves, grabbers and trash bags.
"As more people flock to our lakes and outdoor spaces, it’s inevitable that we’ll continue to see an increase in trash," said Susan Goldberg, owner of Rowing Dock. "Our hope is that events like these unite our community and create more awareness and accountability for preserving the natural spaces and public parks that make Austin the city we all know and love."
Prizes were awarded to the volunteers who brought back the most trash, the heaviest item and the weirdest item. All volunteers received a participant T-shirt and an Outdoor Voices bag filled with goodies and coupons from local brands. Several businesses provided refreshments, including Tiff's Treats, which handed out warm cookies to volunteers throughout the day.
Rowing Dock said Friday's Earth Day event marks the official launch of its Kayak Clean Up Crew series, which will be a weekly lake clean-up that provides volunteers the opportunity to clean up the lake by boat with all equipment and supplies required donated to the cause. Rowing Dock will provide an hour of free rentals for every trash bag that is brought back.
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