River Cleanup and Garbagesaurus Creation 
Objective: To clean garbage out of a river ecosystem, and to raise awareness by turning the found trash into a ‘garbagesaurus’.
Abstract: Picking trash out of a shallow river and its surrounding area will leave the river ecosystem healthier. Creating sculptures (shaped like creatures or dinosaurs) out of the found trash is a visual way to raise awareness of environmental issues, namely, pollution in local rivers.
Number of Participants: minimum of 10
Total Hours of Planning Time: 5
Total Hours for Participants: 7 (morning into early afternoon)
Materials:
For Clean-Up:
- Work gloves
- Garbage bags
- Rubber Boots
- Rakes, shovels, and/or litter poles
- First aid kit
- Topographic map of the area
- Music (optional)
- Snacks, water (muffins/carrots/apples)
- Hand sanitizer
- Camera
For Creation of Garbagesaurus(es):
- Tarps to put garbage on
- Duct tape
- String/twine
- Hot glue gun
- Decorating materials: e.g. construction paper, ribbon, googly eyes, paint, paintbrushes
Action Plan:
1. Contact your local parks and recreation office to confirm if a river clean-up is permitted in your area, and to find out how to dispose of hazardous waste. You can do this by visiting your municipality’s website, or by contacting their Recreation and Parks department (link provided below).
2. Establish a date for your cleanup. Planning your event around the “Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup” (September 20-28) could help raise the profile of your event.
3. Advertise your event! Put up posters in your school and community centers (library, churches, neighbourhood groups). Send emails to community groups, youth groups, schools and other environmental groups. Send a press release to the local media to inform them of your cleanup.
4. Walk along the river bank in advance and scout out the area to ensure it’s safe and navigable.
5. Collect materials in advance. If your group has a budget, use some money to buy snacks, otherwise have people bring them. Bring some extra essentials like rubber boots in case people forget.
6. Arrive early at the clean-up site to set up a ‘hub’. This can be a table with music, snacks, rubber gloves, garbage bags, tarps, and decorating materials.
7. Be prepared to give participants a briefing at the beginning, and an explanation of why river cleanups are important
for clean water and healthy plants and animals.
8. Go at it!
9. During the clean-up, have someone sort between what garbage can be used for building sculptures and what is obviously trash. For example, hazardous materials such as broken glass, rusty nails, old batteries or chemicals, should be properly disposed of so that no one is hurt or can get sick. Other materials, such as pop cans, bottles, and packaging can be used for making the sculpture.
10. Break for lunch. (Participants should bring food in addition to the snacks provided). Discuss the building of the garbagesaurus(es) and how they can be used to create awareness of river pollution in the local community (e.g. they can be used in presentations, booths, displays, or placed in key public locations).
11. Break into groups for the next two hours to create your own Garbagesaurus(es).
12. If the garbagesaurus is not finished by the end of the day, bring the partially finished sculptures to the next group meeting and add the finishing touches.
13. Have a round of high-fives at the end for a job well done!
14. Share your experience by uploading your project report onto the online Project Database.
Resources to Get You Started:
Canadian Parks and Recreation Association - Provincial and Territorial Listings
Organizing a Waterway Cleanup (scroll down for step-by-step instructions)
The Jane Goodall Institute is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Contact:
For more information about this project, contact roots_shoots@janegoodall.ca
