Printer Friendly Version - Join Branford Clean Up Day on April 27

These flyers, which also recognize the clean up as an Earth Day event in the month of April (this year, Monday, April 22, is the offical date for Earth Day), have been distributed among the town's elementary schools.Flyer Courtesy BE&EC.

On Saturday, April 27, Branford residents of all ages are encouraged to get in the spirit of spring cleaning their community and show their Branford pride. Volunteers are encouraged to wear Branford's school colors of red and black and turn out on the green to participate in the annual town-wide Clean Up Day event.

Branford's Clean Up Day 2019 will be underway from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 27. The day is supported by Branford Environmental and Conservation Commission (BE&CC), Inlands Wetlands Commission, Branford Solid Waste & Recycling Commission, Branford Community Forest Commission (BCFC) and Branford Land Trust (BLT); BLT also organizes a Branford River Clean Up to coincide with events on the green.

Volunteers who come to the Branford Town Green on the morning of April 27 will be given garbage bags, gloves, and selected outdoor sites (within walking and driving distances) where clutter needs collecting. Full bags are then brought back to the big Dumpster on the green, with the growing pile of garbage helping to put a bit of perspective on just how much junk can pile up along our roads, waterways and other public byways.

During Clean Up Day, conservation information on town recycling, hazardous materials and waste collection points; together with other displays and information from multiple environmental organizations, will be shared by experts at tables set up on the green. Residents can also stop by to recycle their used running shoes at a collection table manned by SoundRunner.

Clean Up Day co-organizer Dan FitzGerald, a member of BE&CC and BCFC, said community participation has been good in past years, but organizers are looking to pump up the people power for Clean Up Day 2019.

In 2018, on the strength of about 60 flyers distributed and word of mouth, "...we had approximately 100 participants, and half were children" said FitzGerald, noting the large Dumpster, provided by the Town of Branford, was about one-third full by the end of the day.

"The participation was more than we expected [but] in contrast, this year, we printed 1,100 flyers, have the same four town commissions, but also have local environmental group participation. We are really trying to get the word out this year," said FitzGerald.

The flyers, which also recognize the clean up as an Earth Day event in the month of April (this year, Monday, April 22, is the offical date for Earth Day), have been distributed among the town's elementary schools.

In addition to donning a bit of red and black, volunteers are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, with boots recommended.

For more information on Branford Clean Up Day 2019, find Branford Conservation and Environmental Commission on Facebook (@ConserveBranfordCT).