Sixth Grader Has Removed 2,215 Pounds of Trash From the Petaluma River

2,215 pounds. That’s more than an Asian water buffalo weighs. More than a saltwater crocodile weighs. And it’s almost as much as a walrus weighs. Those are three of the ten heaviest mammals on Earth.

DJ Woodbury, a twelve-year-old from Petaluma, California, managed to remove that much garbage — 2,215 pounds of it — out of the Petaluma River, just north of San Francisco. Woodbury started his river clean-up for a community service project all sixth graders complete at Live Oak Charter School.

He was inspired by the trash build-up he saw while spending time with his dad, David, a retired marine biologist, fishing and watching wildlife along the riverbank. For the past three months, DJ and his dad have spent about one day per week fishing trash out of the river, the Press Democrat reports.

They’re not using any crazy methods or technological breakthroughs; it’s just the two of them, a boat, and some garbage bins – and they’ve removed more than a ton of waste. Most of that weight is made up of bottles and cans, but other debris includes tennis balls, syringes, and car tires. They even pulled out two TV monitors.

“It’s annoying and gross to think that somebody will dump,” Woodbury said. “Even after seeing the signs that say there’s a fine for dumping, and knowing it’s really bad on the environment, and they still just dump it in.”

Unfortunately, littering is a […]

Full article: This Sixth Grader Has Removed 2,215 Pounds of Trash From the Petaluma River

Water Warriors and Other People Stories

• FEATURE: Women in water science make a splash
• Sizing-Up Progress on Nature-Based Infrastructure
• Delta College’s Aqua Ducks are big winners at H2O Hackathon
• Meet the Las Vegas teens facing Western drought head on
• No birdsong, no water in the creek, no beating wings: how a haven for nature fell silent
• Kindergarteners release trout into Feather River

• 1
• 2
...
• 13
• >>