Nearly 42,000 pounds of garbage was hauled out of the Dunes Recreation Area this fall. That amount doesn’t include the charred abandoned vehicles that were also carried away. The province’s annual clean up was held in late September with the help of 62 volunteers.
The amount of trash packed out every year has been steadily decreasing. 2015’s event saw just under 47,000 pounds, following more than 55,000 in 2014. Nearly 500-thousand pounds have been cleared since 2009.
Alberta Environment attributes the drop to increased education and public shaming on social media, along with volunteers doing clean ups year round. The work is done with the help of several community partners, who donate everything from garbage bags to a back hoe.