May 9th, 2007
Trash in a river is not just an eye sore; it is also detrimental to the environment and potentially dangerous. Cleaning up polluted streams can be a very daunting task; Mrs. Fields Ecology class was up to that task. A partnership between Veolia Water, the City of Crossville and Annell Fields' Ecology class has produced a brilliant combination of beauty and function. A yearly contribution of time from Mrs. Fields' class helps keep the river beautiful. The students enjoy the time out of the classroom as well as giving back to the environment. "The Obed River clean-up was very fun; we're excited that we got to clean up the environment."
43 students arrived to the Veolia Water Treatment Plant ready to contribute their time and strong backs to the cause. They worked on various projects around the river. Some students were filling wheelbarrows with mulch, while others were mulching the walking trails. The more adventurous students were waist deep in the river picking up trash and debris. The most common trash items picked up were bottles and cans. The most unusual item pulled out of the creek was a fire hose. There was an estimated 200 pounds of trash retrieved from the stream and surrounding areas.
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The City of Crossville provided ice cold drinks to help the students stay hydrated in the hot sun. Veolia Water ordered pizzas for lunch. Each student also received a t-shirt, water bottle and informational goodie bag. This educational partnership has already proven itself to be beneficial to the environment as well as giving these students and future students a natural area to be proud of. "It was a lot of fun cleaning up the Obed River. Even though I got a few scrapes and cuts, it was a fun and a very rewarding experience. It was great to be able to help the environment and some fun with friends at the same time".
