NORFOLK, Va. — Dozens of Old Dominion University student volunteers spent Sunday morning cleaning up one of Norfolk's most heavily used boat ramps.
Between 35 and 40 volunteers with Save the Earth from A to Z, or ASEZ, picked up trash at the Haven Creek Boat Ramp, a location organizers call a natural collection point. The effort aims to stop litter before it reaches the Lafayette River, where pollution has threatened the water for decades.
"So today we're doing a road cleanup. So it's actually part of our Blue Carbon ecosystem protection initiative. So what we're doing today is we're helping pick up litter, plastic, pretty much all these things that can go into the water systems around us," John Milby said.
The Sunday morning cleanup is part of ASEZ's Blue Carbon Movement, a campaign aimed at preserving marine ecosystems like salt marshes, mangrove forests, and reed beds.
"By collecting all this litter that is kind of collected in this natural collection point, we're able to help not only beautify our environment, but also help our local communities by helping protect our local ecosystems," Milby said.
Milby noted that leaving the pollution unchecked threatens the health of the local ecosystem for boaters, people, and water species.
"They're out there fishing. So if those fish that they're trying to catch, if their ecosystems are messed up from all the litter that's being collected and everything, then it's just not only hurting their leisure time, but also it's really hurting our community too, because if we deteriorate these ecosystems, it plays a bigger role and starts to have a domino effect on everything else," Milby said.
The group tries to do a cleanup once every month or two, partnering with members across Virginia. ASEZ hopes these united efforts can add up to real change for future generations.
"One thing that people can do, even just at the smallest level, is just making that extra effort just to even to recycle," Milby said.
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