OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — "I found a metal pipe, I have no idea why it is out here," said David Baker, a first-time volunteer with the Blue Bucket Project.
Bags and bags full of trash were found right here in our community, by volunteers with the Blue Bucket Project Omaha.
"I started the blue bucket project because people were complaining about litter so much and I said well if you are going to complain so much are you willing to do something about it," said Cindy Tefft, founder of the Blue Bucket Project.
And before she knew it, Tefft's 'Flash Trash Mob Litter Pick Ups' took off.
"I am totally amazed. Last year with flash trash mobs, we had 571 volunteers and we picked up over 898 bags of litter," Tefft said.
Pat Gromak, has been with the group since it started about two years ago.
"It goes by fast when you are picking up litter. You just get addicted to it all the time," Gromak said.
Passionate about keeping her community clean, she has participated in about 40 pick-ups so far.
"Nature is so beautiful but it gets interrupted with all of the trash and the litter that isn't natural. It doesn't really belong there," Gromak said.
It is just one hour out of our day and is as easy as showing up at the site, grabbing a blue bucket, a trash grabber and getting to work.
"When thinking about our Earth we really don't see a lot of natural trash. Everything is recycled or re-purposed and so I think doing our part out here and really making sure that we take care of what we brought into the environment by removing it from the environment is super important," Baker said.
David Baker came out to 72nd and Maple, to volunteer for the first time.
"When thinking about my why, it's more of like a why not, it's so easy showing up for an hour during my week," Baker said.
And in just 60 minutes, this group of 11 filled about 8 bags of trash.
"It's something, what little bit you do, it all counts," Gromak said.
Tefft says litter can impact neighborhoods, animals and waterways. One goal of this project is for volunteers to come into a space, clear it up and then, "hopefully the people who live here or work here, will kind of keep it up," Tefft said.
Respecting the environment we all get to call home.
If you are looking for a way to help this Earth Day, the Blue Bucket Project has several events across the city on Saturday and the days following.
Visit their website by clicking here.
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