In an age dominated by technology, I discovered an unexpected revelation during the Earth Day cleanup at Hurricane Creek: children are keen to reconnect with nature. Their enthusiasm signals a collective duty to foster their relationship with the outdoors. Beyond litter collection, cleanups serve the dual purpose of promoting environmental awareness and community participation. As a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, I also recognized a longing among college students to feel a part of their temporary hometowns. Participating in such cleanups can instill a sense of community and belonging. The Earth Day event offered valuable insights and served as a springboard for growth and understanding. Here are the three key learnings that unfolded from that day:

1. Children today crave the outdoors.

The outdoors can be a big scary unknown. Priorities have shifted since I was their age and now, a screen is often the main source of entertainment. I didn’t realize how novel nature could be until Earth Day this year. I helped organize a cleanup with Friends of Hurricane Creek, and, much to my surprise, many of the volunteers were children! Some parents were looking for a fun outdoor activity. Others wanted their children to see where the trash they toss can end up. But, regardless of their purpose for attending, interacting with these children taught me so much. I have always worked with children whether in a camp setting, through environmental education programs, or volunteering with Schoolyard Roots, but Earth Day was different…or maybe it was just how this particular group of kids reacted to being there. They were excited and verbally expressed the desire to get outside more. You may think I am kidding but one kid said, “I have got to stop playing video games and come out here more often!” This is where we need to step up: we have to continue to make space for children to get outside. Cleanups are one avenue, but nature should be a consistent part of every childhood.

2. Cleanups are about more than just removing trash from an area.

 My main job is to organize and run these river cleanups and, yes, it is good work, but this week someone asked me why. Why do you do these cleanups? What are you really accomplishing by picking up a few pieces of trash? I won’t lie, he stumped me for just a moment; however, these cleanups get our community involved. Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries and the cleanup program is just one part of that. We patrol, monitor, advocate, litigate, etc. on behalf of the river, but it is hard to get our community excited about these things because there is less opportunity for them to actively take part in that. Cleanups get volunteers outside, on the ground, picking up trash. They see the issue and it concerns them, even if it’s just the tip of the iceberg. No, cleanups are not going to solve our pollution problem, but they raise awareness, promote environmental stewardship, and give community members an opportunity to make a difference.

3. College students seek out opportunities to make their college town feel like home and cleanup programs may do just that.

I just graduated from the University of Alabama and through my time in Tuscaloosa I was constantly searching for a sense of community - whether I realized it or not. I know it seems cliche, but every cleanup, the Earth Day one being no different, I see college students doing the same thing I did. I found my own community by becoming involved with Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Outdoor Recreation, and Schoolyard Roots, but it was volunteer work that made me feel like a true part of Tuscaloosa. By volunteering, you, whether by choice or not, are becoming an active member of whatever community you are a part of. There is no denying that Tuscaloosa is a college town: people are constantly shuffling in and out every year. But, we have the opportunity to make college students active and present members of the community by inciting this sense of camaraderie. During the Friends of Hurricane Creek Earth Day cleanup, we had over 50 volunteers with at least half of those being college students. Before and after the cleanup, I saw many of them talking with Tuscaloosa residents, both younger and older. It may not be intentional, but it is clear that these college students are a part of the same community and it is this community that is gathering to make their home just a little bit nicer.

Rosey White is a recent environmental science graduate of the University of Alabama where she worked for UA Outdoor Recreation. Currently, she is the Volunteer Engagement AmeriCorps Member for Black Warrior Riverkeeper, and, in her free time, she also volunteers with Schoolyard Roots.