Akshar's+Big+Sweep+Lake+Wheeler+March+24

I attended the Big Sweep at Lake Wheeler Park. When first arriving I could see lots of various signs saying "Throw your trash in the bin" and multiple signs enforcing pollution prevention. I was going to this event with the mindset of not having to pick up anything at all. We registered and received: gloves, Trash stick, trash bag, data card, and a map. We also got a tree and instructions on how to plant in (for ourselves to do at home). We then got into groups and made our way to the park and started to clean. To my surprise, we found so many things like things from cigarettes to vehicle parts like tires.

This event was a real "eye-opener" to the actuality of today's society and how we are about pollution. Even if we are in a place that advocates for environmentally beneficial actions people still tended to simply litter and pollute this environment. Specifically, pollution was not the only environmental issue that could be seen but also the amount of smoking that would take place at this park. We filled a whole trash bag of cigarettes and this really paints a clear image of how polluted not only our waters but our breathing air is. This event really helped me see the benefits of environmental science and really made me see the bigger picture of how environmentally friendly our world actually is.