PlanetRecovery

PlanetRecovery:  Redeem Reclaim Rediscover.
Redeeming lives, reclaiming futures, rediscovering possibilities.
A global movement.  We hope.
SpiritWorks is starting a new initiative:  PlanetRecovery.  People in recovery helping our planet recover.  We will be providing training and putting people to work, recycling, picking up trash, cleaning up Williamsburg and beyond. 

 
I started a couple of weeks ago on one of the few warmish days this winter has offered.  Wearing my purple, "Got Recovery?" t-shirt and paper thin plastic gloves on my hands, I walked down to the edge of Mooretown Road in front of SpiritWorks and began collecting.  I went out to see how many cans I could find.  About 3 on our side of the street with maybe 5 or 6 more on the other side.  Mostly Bud Lite with a couple of Red Bulls and a Mountain Dew.  There were more bottles, mostly Bud Ice and Bud Lite but a few fruit juice/tea concoctions.  Lots of plastic.  Bags, food wrappers, styrofoam, cigarette butts, broken glass, plastic bottles, a metal pail.  I couldn't go far before the bag I was carrying became too heavy.   In another section of road I found sets of tires, cases of empty beer bottles - the 16 oz size, more cans, bottles, paper, and even a green blanket.

Do people really throw all that trash out of their cars?  I have many character defects, but littering isn't one of them.  I remember that Melissa, my roommate in college, used to pick up trash and recyclables and bring them back to our dorm room whenever she was out walking.  It wasn't something I felt called to do.  But now that we are starting a "planet recovery" business, I keep noticing all the trash by the side of the road.  Seriously.  Take a look.  It's appalling.  I try not to be in the business of judging, but I can't seem to help myself.  Keep your trash in your car, people, and recycle!

I'm looking forward to PlanetRecovery getting started.  Not only will it provide much needed jobs, but I hope it will also help us tend our little portion of the planet.