Earth Day is observed April 22 each year, and with the event right around the corner, Waterloo Listens will be working this weekend to help clean up its community for the second year in a row.

Waterloo Listens member Amanda Chase has helped coordinate the event and spoke about the organization’s plans and hopes for this year’s “Earth Day Clean-Up.”

The effort begins at 10 a.m. Saturday as folks will be gathering at the Monroe County Courthouse in high-visibility clothing.

From there, volunteers will be sent out around the city to pick up trash, with some working along Route 3 and others, particularly minors who are not permitted to work along state highways and their families, will go to parks, schools and other areas.

Chase noted that Waterloo Listens has participated in a number of other cleanup efforts in the area, from trash pickups in Maeystown to working with the group Empire 13 in East St. Louis, raising money for them to purchase trash cans and recycling bins.

This year’s Earth Day event is the second year the group is working with the City of Waterloo, which is providing trash bags and drop-off points, and Chase expressed her gratitude for the city’s help.

“We have not expended a dime on trash bags or gloves,” Chase said. “Really, we’re just asking people for a little elbow grease in picking up the trash. We tremendously appreciate the city’s support, IDOT resources. That makes the effort a lot easier.”

Chase also voiced her hopes that this year’s event will have a solid turnout, especially given the weather that’s expected to be a vast improvement over last year’s cooler, drearier Earth Day.

Regardless of the turnout, however, Chase urged folks to consider contributing to the environmentally-conscience efforts however they can.

“Last year, we had terrible weather conditions and still about 30 people in attendance,” Chase said. “I think this is an issue that’s near and dear to people’s hearts. We’re expecting a big turnout on Saturday because of the beautiful weather, but we’d also encourage people to participate on their own. Saturday morning doesn’t work for them, then on their morning walk just grab a bag and pick up trash along the way. Every little bit helps.”

Regarding Waterloo Listens’ overall goal for the event, Chase said it seems as though every individual comes out for their own reason.

“Everybody takes something different from it,” Chase said. “Some people, for them it’s raising awareness about plastic pollution. More personally for me, it’s modeling accountability for my kids to take pride in their community. Some people, it’s just a day to get out in our beautiful town. For some people, it’s about protecting and conserving nature.”

She further expanded on this idea, noting the benefit of already living in a clean community and adding that the group is also promoting such recycling initiatives as Waterloo Citizens for a Pool’s plastic cap collection campaign contributing to furniture for the soon-to-be-completed Waterloo Community Splash Pad.

Caps can be brought to Waterloo City Hall toward that effort.

“I think a lot of people recognize Earth Day in different ways, whether it’s planting a tree or helping to remove an invasive species,” Chase said. “We’re kind of lucky that we already live in a place that’s pretty cleaned up and beautiful, but it’s important to continue to emphasize that we care about our environment.”